The Killer Inside
by shaid
Summary: Kagome's cousin, Kikyou, was murdered and the only suspect was her fiance, Inuyasha. Now Inuyasha is desperate for her help to find the killer, Kagome starts falling for Inuyasha, and someone is stalking Kagome. Is Inuyasha innocent? IK, MS, SR. In rev
1. Southern Gurl

I'm posting this on several different fan fic sites and decided to post it on this one now. I hope all of you like it. The idea came from the song "The Killer Inside" by Better Than Ezra, off their album Deluxe from 1994 (I think. It was a year old when I got it for my 16th birthday…). Anyway, I hope ya'll like it.

General disclainmer: I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own the song Killer Inside and I don't own any of the other songs that will be involved in this story. That said, enjoy.

**EDIT! 8-21-06 Note about editing at the end of the chapter. **

_**The Killer Inside**_

"_**The Killer Inside"** _

Well, she believes that I'd be better off without her.  
And she believes in me.

Well, she believes that time can make things right.  
And I want to believe that there's been a change in me.

Chorus:  
And I hope that she believes.  
Yes, I wonder if she sees the killer inside me.

The lights go down  
And the clouds are building outside.  
You close the door and turn the key,  
But there's no place to hide.

Chorus:  
And I hope that she believes.  
Yes, I wonder if she sees the killer inside me.

The killer inside me.  
The killer inside me.  
The killer inside...

Lyrics by Better Than Ezra

Chapter 1: Southern Gurl

_Scent of pine drifting by.  
Her hand traces lazy on your neck.  
Sunlight through the trees  
recalls a better time.  
Kids and dogs running by,  
She smiles as she drinks ice tea,  
Retire to the room, it's easy to see._

_CHORUS:  
I want a Southern Girl, I need a Southern Girl.  
Well, I want a Southern Girl.  
Hey, yes, I want a Southern Girl and I need a Southern Girl.  
And I want a Southern Girl._

Lyrics by Better Than Ezra (again)

The day was beautiful, the air hot and bright. A soft breeze made the branches of the Goshinboku dance over the pair lounging in the cool shade at the base. Inuyasha tightened his hold on Kikyou against the slight chill in the most recent gust. He smiled and sighed. Now this was living; a lazy summer day spent with the girl he loved just sitting under a tree on the land his mother had given him, doing nothing. Well, he was sitting and doing nothing. It seemed like Kikyou brought her work everywhere she went, anymore. It was kind of a pain. Her books seemed more important to her than he was lately. But that was just the way she was: dedicated, hard working and serious.

Right now she had a text open as she leaned against him and was taking notes occasionally as she read. Inuyasha could hear her muttering to herself and smiled. In the three years he'd known her he'd gotten used to her mutterings and half spoken sentences; it was just her way of thinking through a problem.

The wind got colder and more forceful, whipping his long white hair around them, whistling in his ears. It was time to go. Ominous clouds began to take shape. It looked like lightening and it was no short hike to the house. He shifted his position beneath his fiancé.

"Kikyou," he whispered, "Kikyou, it's time to go." No answer. He grabbed her arm and shook it a little. Perhaps she hadn't heard him. "Kikyou?"

"I can't go with you, Inuyasha." She didn't move. He frowned at her.

"What? You can just finish your work inside. It's no big deal." He laughed and nudged her. "C'mon, Kikyou. Let's go before that storm moves in on us and ruins this day." He gently pushed her aside and stood, then faced her and held out a hand to help her up. "Hurry! It looks like lightening and you know the walk may take a while. We need to get to a safer spot."

"I can't go, Yash." She whispered again, her voice sounded dry and a bit hoarse to his ears. He'd fix her some of his mother's special throat tonic when they got back to the house. Wouldn't do for a college professor to lose her voice during class. She never thought to take care of herself and he often had to do things like that for her. She forgot to cook dinner for herself, so he'd cook; she fell asleep over her books and he'd carry her to bed. She needed him to take care of her and he was more than willing. But today he was quickly losing his patience.

"Damn it, Kikyou, why the hell not?"

It was a moment before she answered again. Something was not right here. Something was tugging at the back of his mind telling him that this was wrong. He didn't want her to raise her head and look at him. Something horrible was going to happen if she looked at him. She cleared her throat and shook her head, her face hidden by her long black hair.

"Because, Yash, I'm dead." At that she raised her head and shook her hair away from her face. Her skin, which he remembered as being like fine porcelain, was mottled black and purple with bruises. Blood streamed from the corner of her lip and from some wound above her hairline. Someone had slit her delicate throat and as she moved her hands from the folds of the skirt that had hid them before, he could see they were bloody and ragged, as if she'd spent hours scratching at some surface, begging to be set free from her torment. Her clothes were torn as well, slashed in some places and ripped at the seam in others.

Inuyasha began to shake. _No_, he thought, _no! Not Kikyou! No, please!_ She stood and stepped towards him, hands outstretched. "I'm dead, Inuyasha. I'm dead because of you." Her lips, discolored and misshapen, twisted into a macabre caricature of a grin. "Come to Hell with me, Love. Come to where you belong…"

"No! Kikyou! No!" The dead woman walked closer to him, her miko energy crackling and shooting out arcs.

"Die, hanyou!" she said as she reached him.

(B)

Inuyasha sat bolt upright in bed pouring sweat and shaken. It was just a nightmare, just another nightmare. He growled as he ripped the covers out of his way and padded angrily towards the bathroom. Splashing water on his face, he calmed himself then glanced up at the clock in the corner of the mirror. Five fucking thirty AM. _Fuck_, he thought, _three fucking hours of sleep_. Not that he really needed more. His half-youkai body only needed a minimal amount of sleep. It was the principal.

His reflection glared at him. His white hair was plastered to him, stringy and damp from his nightmare. He noted the white pointed canine ears and the bright gold eyes. Girls had always been crazy about his eyes. Baring his fangs, he growled at himself. Fucking lot of good that did him. A quick toss didn't make him forget.

It had been three years now since Kikyou's death and while the nightmares came less often, they still came. He should have expected that, especially here, in the house they'd shared briefly before her death. The bed no longer smelled of her, but he could sometimes catch a whiff of her perfume in the closet or while walking down the hall. He was the only one who lived in the house anymore and most of the rooms were closed, the furniture inside covered in sheets and dust, fodder for ghosts and phantoms.

They would remain that way if he had anything to say about it. Kikyou's ghost could have the damn house. All he wanted, all he needed, was her last secret.

"Just who the fuck killed you, Kikyou?"

(B)

Kagome loved Kaede's garden. For the most part, she'd grown up in the city, unable to feel the life flowing in the dirt around her. But she'd learned her trade here. Here she was able to nurture a small seed into a giant plant. It made her feel that she was doing something right.

She smiled to see how well the garden was doing under her care. She'd been here just over a year and already things were looking much better, healthy and green. Out front were the flowers: roses and irises, lilies and asters, all growing like mad, creating a colorful greeting to the world. In back was Kagome's vegetable garden. There she grew her peppers, zucchini and tomatoes as well as her special herbs. Behind that was her greenhouse where she grew things that were more rare and exciting, things that were harder to grow in the Louisiana heat. Further out on the property, she let things grow wild, knowing that soon she'd be able to harvest wild healing herbs that had been untouched by modern hands. Soon she could make a living off those herbs and not be so reliant on her family's money.

Great Aunt Kaede was getting too old to be traipsing off after those herbs anymore but Kagome made sure there were others close enough to the house for Kaede to gather. The potions and poultices Kaede made were important to her and to the family. But Kaede had been failing recently, her old bones too brittle to afford a fall if she missed a step, her eyes not as sharp as they once were. So Kagome had been asked by the family head to move to Musashi Manor and care for her. Six years ago, Kikyou had been sent to do this same job, but things had gone wrong and Kikyou had become absorbed in her studies, neglecting the old family plantation and her Great Aunt. Then she had gotten herself murdered.

It was sad. She'd been weeks away from marrying one of the locals, a hanyou by the name of Inuyasha Tai, when it had come out that she'd been sleeping around on him. In a rage, he had disappeared for several days only to reappear at the local hospital with Kikyou's broken, abused and obviously dead body cradled in his arms.

Most of the folks in town thought he'd done it but Sheriff Myoga was convinced he hadn't. He'd worked for Toga Tai, Inuyasha's father, for a long time before becoming sheriff and felt that there had to be some other explanation for the girl's death. The case was still unsolved. Kaede also disagreed with popular opinion. Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, had been Kaede's neighbor and the old woman could well remember the young boy who'd tried to steal her blackberries in the summer. Kaede stood firm. Inuyasha was no murderer.

Kagome trusted Aunt Kaede's instincts; the old miko was rarely wrong about anything. But the murderer had never been found, and in fact, the investigation had turned up nothing to suggest that anyone other than Inuyasha had anything to do with it. Now that Inuyasha had returned, after disappearing again nearly two years ago, Kagome was worried that she and her aunt were now living next door to a murderer. But if Kaede was sure, nothing could change her mind.

The slender brunette shook her head, clearing the dark thoughts. Today she was working in the side yard and she needed to focus on her Azaleas, which were drooping and looking weak. A parasite was probably the culprit. Kagome closed her eyes and dipped her hands into the soil around the plant. The disorientation of using her powers didn't bother her anymore but it still felt strange. Soon she could see the green life force of the plant, muted and struggling against a pale grey form. Grubs. Ick. But if she tweaked here, and pushed a little there… Got it! She smiled. The grubs would still live, but they would not hinder the plant anymore. Hopefully they wouldn't infect her other plants either. Just to make sure, she created a ward around the plant encouraging the grubs to not leave the area.

"Girl! Come out front." Kaede called to her, "You've got company!"

Kagome smiled wider. Perhaps it was the kitsune boy from a few properties over. He was so adorable with his fluffy red tail and green eyes. Soon enough, he would be able to disguise that tail and his overtly fox-like feet, but for now he was still young enough that the tail and feet were acceptable. He was still less than four; time enough for concealing spells later on. She loved to have Shippo come visit. Kaede could only put up with his constant questioning for so long but Kagome longed to have someone to teach about her plants, if only to better her own knowledge.

She brushed the dirt off her hands and knees and wiped a cloth across her face, clearing the sweat. If it were Shippo, this would be the best time to see him, while she was still dirty from tending her garden. He generally wanted play in the greenhouse and if she were already dirty, adding a bit more wouldn't hurt too much. Of course if it were one of the other townsfolk come for a visit… well she would simply have to excuse herself and hope the person didn't mind waiting for her to clean up. Everyone knew she worked in the garden most of the day and was generally filthy by noon. Of course, it was hardly ten in the morning now. She walked along the verandah smiling, thinking that the day was just wonderful.

Until she ran headlong into him.

(B)

Inuyasha had never been patient, especially when it came to getting what he wanted. He hated being made to wait. But Kaede had told him he would have to wait here. Her niece was working in her garden and was not to be disturbed for any reason. Inuyasha's ears twitched.

Not to be disturbed. _What the hell could a twenty-one year old girl be up to in a fucking flower garden that was so damn important?_ When he sensed a flare of miko energy, stronger than even Kikyou's had been, he really began to wonder. _Was she purifying demons in her own back yard or something?_

"Or something," replied the older miko, startling the inu-hanyou. He'd been unaware of voicing that particular thought. "She's healing her plants, feeding them with her energy and strength. It took me a while to figure out where her talents lay but she found it on her own. She took to my garden like a duck to water." The old woman laughed. "The local youkai seem drawn to her as well. Shippo Kinato, he's over here every other day just to catch a glimpse of her. He's fascinated. Sure, she _could_ purify you with just a thought. Fortunately for you, she's more apt to heal than kill. She doesn't like to see things die."

"That is fortunate, I guess," he grumbled.

"Kikyou was more likely to hurt than heal, I could see that from the beginning. I'd hoped things would be different but she didn't have a high opinion of youkai."

"Gee, you think, Baba?" Inuyasha replied sarcastically. "I wasn't sure about that after she told me that, even though she was marrying me, she didn't want to have quarter demon 'offspring.' So if I didn't mind, would I please cut off my fucking balls and 'we could always adopt' if I wanted kids?"

"The pain will lessen, child, I promise."

"Feh. Lessen my ass. That bitch betrayed me and eviscerated me and still wondered why the hell I was pissed off." He growled. "I owe her one thing: vengeance. She was still mine when she died. I just want to find out what happened to her."

"Kagome will help you, Inuyasha," Kaede soothed. "I assure you, she will not allow you to suffer if it is in her ability to help."

"Feh," he grunted. "I'll believe that when I see it."

He heard footsteps on the verandah and guessing that it was Kaede's niece, stood to meet the owner of those footsteps at the door. She was there faster than he anticipated and ran headlong into his chest, bouncing back slightly.

"Excuse me," she said with a smile. Inuyasha just froze.

"Kikyou?" he whispered.

(B)

OOOOO! Ominous place to stop, huh? Hope you like. R&R if you will. I like hearing how much you hated it.

**EDIT**: ok, I'm going to be fixing things now. I started reading a bit of this aloud to a friend and while I was doing so realized there are some major inconsistencies that are really beginning to piss me off. Not so much in the first chapter, but I know the later chapters need some work. The edits here are subtle, a few words changed and such, not much in the grand scheme. The second chapter will have some more major revisions for style, content and such. I need to stop getting so excited about finishing and re-read and fact check.

Right now I'm working on some family trees as well, trying to trace how the characters are related. I'm pretty sure I won't be posting those, but if you're interested and you ask nicely, I can send it to you via e-mail. Thanks for being wonderful readers, guys!


	2. Impressions

**_EDIT! 8-21-06_**

"Kikyou?" He whispered.

He was stunned. She could have been Kikyou's double; she had the same delicate features, the same dark hair. But no, there were differences, definite differences. Her eyes were warm brown, not cold grey, and her hair was a shade or two lighter, as well as shorter and not as sleek and professional. Her skin was pale as well, but dotted with freckles, a testament to her time spent in the sun. And her scent was _completely_ different. Where Kikyou had smelled of perfume and paper and chemicals from her lab, this girl smelled of flowers and earth and… something else that seemed to be uniquely her.

The girl frowned at him, her previously pleasant expression turning sour. _Well, the frown is the same_, _that's for sure_, he thought.

"I'm Kagome," she replied icily, "Kikyou is dead."

"Kagome, forgive me for not introducing our guest," Kaede interrupted. "This is our neighbor, Inuyasha Tai. I thought you might recognize him from pictures Kikyou sent home of her fiancé."

"Kikyou never sent any pictures home," Kagome replied. "In fact, the first time I'd heard she'd been engaged to a hanyou was after her death. I was surprised. She'd never trusted youkai much."

"Ain't that the truth," he muttered, darkly.

"Excuse me, but I'd like to come in and clean up. I'm a bit dirty from my work in the garden." Quickly, he moved out of her way, his eyes following her figure as she moved towards the staircase.

"Inuyasha will wait, my child. Go clean up."

"Excuse me?" he asked Kaede as soon as her niece was out of hearing range, "Did I just hear you tell her I'd wait for her? Again?"

"Yes. Patience is a virtue."

He glared at her darkly. "If I didn't know that you were a humorless old bitch, I'd have to believe you were making fun of me. And why the hell didn't you tell me she could be Kikyou's twin?"

"I am not humorless, Inuyasha."

"Tell me another."

Kaede grunted. "Believe what you choose. In all honesty I did not think her looks would make much difference. While she bears a passing resemblance to her cousin, they are as alike as day and night."

"Same frown."

"Yes, but with a different motivation behind it."

"Yeah, she was offended by me. Kikyou frowned when I offended her, too." His left ear twitched, betraying his agitation. "She got something against hanyou?"

"Not that I know of. Many of her friends seem to be youkai but she appears to bear no grudge against any hanyou."

Inuyasha frowned. He did not like the way things were looking.

(B)

The stairs seemed longer than before. Or maybe it was just that her heart was beating at ten times its normal rate. She had not expected Inuyasha to be at her door. And she had not expected him to look like… well like he did. Part of her feared that he had killed her cousin and she had been fully prepared not to like him. But things were not going to be that simple for her.

The first thing she had noticed about him was his aura, it was tinged with gold and seemed to flare and flame around him. It was almost like a sedative to her, like watching a fireplace on a dreary autumn day. Then she had seen his eyes. His eyes were what did it. Somewhere in their depths she'd seen just how lost he was. He was haunted. Someone had hurt him badly and she suspected it was her cousin.

"Damn Kikyou," she muttered. "What the hell did you do to this guy?" It had been tough growing up regarded and treated as a miniature Kikyou, although Kagome had never really seen the resemblance between the two of them. Kikyou had been polished and poised. Kagome had been wild and unruly. Looking in the mirror over the bathroom sink she supposed she could see a slight similarity in their features. They shared genes after all, their great great grandmothers being sisters. But to mistake her for Kikyou? Kikyou had been nearly eight years her senior. She sure as hell hoped she didn't look twenty-nine!

Through it all though, Kikyou had never been cruel or unkind to her. It was impossible for Kagome to hate her cousin she'd been so… nice. The letters and e-mails she'd received from the older miko over the years had been encouraging. She'd urged Kagome to explore her powers and to follow her instincts in her studies. The younger girl had looked up to her but part of her had still been slightly jealous. Kikyou was older and had been discovered as a miko at a very young age. She had trained diligently becoming one of the youngest priestesses in the family's history. Kagome had always felt somewhat left out.

Kagome sighed and undressed for her shower, trying not to think of her cousin's former fiancé. It didn't help that he was probably the most attractive man she'd ever met. His ears were just too damn cute and looked like they'd be soft to the touch. She wondered what would happen if she ran her finger along the outside of them. Would they twitch and try to flick her fingers away? Her brother's dog had done that, as well as her cat Buyo, every time she'd stroked their ears. She giggled as she turned the water on. That would be very interesting. Oh, how she wanted to touch those ears of his!

His eyes were pretty mesmerizing, as well. She'd been hard put not to stare at them. Their color was so unique. And she'd thought she'd caught a glimpse of fangs when he'd spoken to her. Ok, so she had a thing for guys who were a little out of the ordinary. She'd dated a wolf demon for a month before deciding he was too possessive. Why not a dog demon, as Inuyasha obviously was.

Kagome shook her head as she washed the dirt from her body. _Bad idea to start thinking of a hanyou with a reputation for violence as a potential love interest, Kagome, _she told herself It could only lead to trouble. Not only that but he'd been in love with her cousin and her aunt had assured her they'd lived together for the month before her death. They'd obviously had sex. It was just kinda… creepy.

Finally clean, she turned off the shower and headed to her bedroom. At some point along the way, some ancestor had papered the room in green with small pink roses. Kagome found it a bit saccharine, but better than most of the other rooms, which hadn't been redecorated since Kaede was a child.

The house was over a hundred and fifty years old and had only been owned by their family. The majority of the entertaining rooms down stairs were closed now, as were most of the family bedrooms upstairs. When she was a child visiting the manor, Kagome had explored most of the rooms. Several of her older cousins had told her that there were secret rooms and hidden passageways scattered throughout the house but Kagome herself had never found any of them. Kaede would never confirm or deny the rumors of secret passageways but she would tell whom each room had belonged to.

Kaede had lived in the same room for nearly seventy years, spending thirty years of her life in another room down the hall. The room Kagome had claimed had belonged to Minako and the one Kikyou had stayed in had belonged to Naomi.

Minako had been Kaede's younger sister. She'd had six children, including Kagome's great grandmother, Kira. _Her_ oldest son had been Natsu, Kagome's grandfather. Grampa had only one child, Kagome's father, Ronin, who had died when Kagome was still young. Naomi had been the older sister; she had also had six children, the eldest of which had been Kikyou's great grandmother. The family had grown exponentially over the generations and Kagome thought there might be fifty or more cousins in her generation alone. She was quite aware that the next generation of her family had already begun. Five babies had been born to her cousins in the past two years and a few had even been born before that. Naomi was the matriarch; she ruled the family and even at one hundred and ten years old, she was still a force to be reckoned with.

Kagome shook her head, scattering the names of relatives she couldn't quite remember. She had a guest downstairs and needed to walk down and be presentable. Part of her was still struck by how handsome he was and sneered at most of what was in her closet. It was too hot for pants so she pulled on a pale green sundress, simple but pretty, and headed down stairs to see just how trustworthy this Inuyasha was.

(B)

Inuyasha groaned and put his face in his hands. This was turning into a long week. He had two hours to talk to this Kagome before he had to head back to his mother's house and meet a Mr. Miroku Hoshi, Buddhist monk. Hoshi was renting the recently refurbished carriage house on the property. He moved in today. Hatchi Minoko, a tanuki friend of his, had set up the arrangement but warned Inuyasha to encourage his female friends to steer clear. Apparently the man was a lecher as well as a monk.

_God, I do not need this_, he thought. Sesshomaru had called early that morning as well, an unpleasant surprise to be sure. He'd wanted to know if human women were opposed to youkai meat as a main course. After firmly responding in the negative, Inuyasha had hung up, not wanting to know why his human-hating half-brother was suddenly concerned about what human women found acceptable for dinner. Hoping he hadn't just helped his brother with his bizarre love life, he had left the house as soon as possible after that call. But things had still not gone his way. One of the stones in his front stoop had come loose as he'd walked down the stairs. Had he not been part demon, he'd have landed flat on his face and possibly even killed himself. And now the person he was asking for help finding his fiancé's murderer looked a hell of a lot like her.

Twenty minutes and three glasses of Kaede's blackberry iced tea later, Kagome came down the stairs. Inuyasha stood and watched her. She definitely did _not_ look like Kikyou now.

Kikyou had been slender and willowy, like a strand of spider silk in the wind. Kagome was more robust; she was still slender but her limbs appeared to have strength to them. He could see the play of muscles under her skin when she moved, something he'd never seen in Kikyou. While Kikyou had kept her pin straight, jet-black hair back in a low, neat ponytail, Kagome left hers free and wild. Her hair curled and waved, highlights of red-gold appearing and disappearing. It was all he could do not to stare.

"What took you so long, wench?" he sneered at her, feeling he was covering up his fascination rather well. Kagome raised an eyebrow and Kaede snorted. "I've got shit to do, I can't sit around and wait for your slow ass all damn day."

"I've got 'shit' to do as well," she replied, warningly. "If you're going to be rude, I don't have to listen."

"Inuyasha will refrain from being too rude but I'm afraid he's always been a bit coarse, Kagome," Kaede interjected. "He called me 'baba' when he was only four and has not become any more refined in the intervening years."

Kagome glared at her aunt as she walked into the parlor and sat down. This was not how she'd planned to spend her lunchtime.

"Feh," was Inuyasha's only comment. Kagome raised her eyebrow again and watched him warily. _You idiot_, he thought, _yeah, insulting and belittling her is really going to get her to agree to help you, dumb ass_. He debated internally a moment before speaking again. "I'm sorry, Miss Kagome," he growled, none too pleased with his situation. "Please forgive my- lack of etiquette." He tried hard not to grind his teeth on those last few words but he was pretty sure Kagome could tell he was annoyed. "I have a favor to ask you."

"A favor?"

"Yes, a small favor, but still," he replied, ungraciously, "I would be in your debt if you would assist me, Miss Kagome."

"Please, just call me Kagome." He nodded his assent, somewhat relieved. Proper names were not his forte.

"Kagome, could you do me a favor? I need your help," he said again.

"I see," she replied, tentatively. "What was it that you needed from me, Inuyasha?"

He looked into her light brown eyes with some trepidation. The favor was larger than he'd implied. _It doesn't matter_, he told himself. _You need her help to find out what really happened!_ He looked away from her, not trusting himself.

"Kikyou once told me that she trusted you, that her cousin Kagome would help anyone and was as trustworthy as a human could be. She told me that you were her favorite relative." Inuyasha turned back to look her in the eye again. "I believe she might have sent you something important just before she died. Did she send you a notebook? Perhaps a journal or a diary?"

Kagome's forehead wrinkled in thought. "A notebook? No, she didn't send me anything physical just before she died." She tapped her finger on the arm of her chair, trying to remember. "She did however, send me a list of names. But it was for a research project; she knew I had miko powers and wanted me to contact a few of her fellow faculty members who were experimenting with a mixture of mystical powers and science. She said they might be able to figure out where my strengths lay-"

"Child, you always knew where your strength lay," Kaede interjected, "You would never have taken all those botany classes had you not felt the pull of the greening world."

"That is true, Auntie."

Kaede sat forward in her chair, making it groan and creak. "She was trying to get you out here, girl! That I firmly believe." She thumped her cane on the floor and sat back. "She was powerful enough to know you should have been trained. We'd both been asking the family to send you here for years."

Kagome nodded. "You may be right, auntie, but Mamma…" Kagome stopped, frowning, "Mamma wanted me to finish high school before starting any miko training. And then it was college…" She looked at her aunt sorrowfully for a moment and then turned back to Inuyasha. "Anyway, the e-mail came several weeks before she died. Other than a few typical, 'Hey, cousin! How are you?' e-mails, there was nothing until we were told she was dead. She didn't tell me much about you and honestly the first time I even heard your name was at her funeral."

Inuyasha gazed out the window. A list of names was better than nothing, even if they did turn out to be just colleagues, one of them might know something. "I don't think she would have said anything about me. Do you still have the list?" he asked.

She nodded. "It should still be on my computer. I save just about everything."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure, I've got it set up in the upstairs library."

Kagome could feel Inuyasha's eyes on her back as she led him up the stairs. It was not an entirely unpleasant sensation. _Quit it, girl!_ she told herself, _he may be a hottie but he's not for you! God, I hope he's not staring 'cause he can see through my dress or something._ She looked back behind her quickly, only to see her guest quickly and obviously turn his attention to a portrait in the stairwell. _Smooth, dog-boy_, she thought, _like you couldn't tell I was about to turn around and look at you. _

She led him down the hall past the family bedrooms to the last door in the hall and walked through. It wasn't a large library; in fact the main reason for the room itself was that it had originally been a small schoolroom for the manor's children. Many of the books were still from that time, though others had been added more recently and still more were brand new. Kagome suspected Aunt Kaede of being a closet Romance Novel fan. There were about sixty Jayne Ann Krentz books, several Elizabeth Lowell and even a few Christine Feehan. _It would certainly figure that my old Aunt Kaede would be a closet Gothic Novel reader_. Kagome smiled at the thought. Kagome herself was quite a fan of those gothic-type novels; the strong female heroines with the soft hearts and loving souls, the overtly aggressive and possessive males that weren't quite human…

_Whoa! Kagome! Get a grip! _She chastised herself._ Like on that fine looking Hanyou behind you… NO! _She shook her head slightly._ Get a hold of yourself before he can smell something he shouldn't, girl_. She inwardly groaned as she led him to her computer. It was going to be a long day.

"Here, have a seat," she said, pointing to a chair near her desk. She'd found a nice comfy corner in the library, not too far from any of the windows, but not so close that she couldn't read her screen. She sat in her own cushy leather desk chair and let Inuyasha sit in the not so cushy or comfy green painted wooden chair she'd discarded when she bought the leather chair.

"OK, e-mail from three years ago…" She hit a few keys and clicked her mouse on a few different icons before finally finding what she was looking for. "Here it is! OK, Kikyou mail…" She scanned the screen. "Hmmm… She only sent me three things in the month before she died. See here?" She pointed towards the screen, indicating three highlighted files. "Number one is the list, none of whom I contacted. Number two is just asking how the family is and how school is going. And Number three…" Kagome stared at the open file. "Huh. It's empty. I wonder why I saved it." She looked closer. "That's odd. It was sent the day before her body was found."

"She was already dead."

"Really?" Kagome snuck a glance at him, slightly preoccupied. "I didn't know that. That's kinda weird."

"Don't delete it. Can you copy it to a disk?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. But there's nothing there, Inuyasha."

"Feh," he snorted. "Just save it and give it to me."

"OK. Whatever."

Kagome saved the file and handed him a blank black disk. She then got out one of her silver permanent markers and handed it to him. "Mark it so you don't forget," she said.

"Feh," he grunted. He looked at the screen curiously for another moment and Kagome watched him through the corner of her eye. "What about that list? Can I see it?"

Kagome pulled up the list. Seven names graced the page, some of them Doctors, some doctoral candidates, others were just professors. Each had a phone number and an address attached.

"Wanda Sammer, Kaugra Kazu, Heiko Gano, Robert Hesh, Naraku Shinwa, Kanna Nara, and Andrew Venti," Kagome read. "Recognize any names?" She glanced over to see him apparently deep in thought. When he frowned she raised an eyebrow. "Inuyasha?"

"Heiko and Wanda are mikos," he finally said. "Naraku is a hanyou, like me… I'm not sure about the rest." He sighed and looked at his watch. "Can you save this for me too?" She nodded and took the disk back. "Thanks, Kagome."

"No problem," she said. "It's not like I was doing much more than gardening today. Hopefully Shippo comes over. He- ah- livens things up a bit here." The both smirked. Inuyasha knew of Shippo but only remembered him as a young infant. A few years could make a kid into a real energy burner and being a kitsune, Shippo was sure to be a handful.

"So… Why are you so interested in what my cousin sent me three years ago, anyway? It doesn't seem to be related to anything."

"Because," Inuyasha mumbled, not quite thinking, "I need to find out what happened. I need to know who killed her so I can rule out-" Inuyasha stopped abruptly. He lowered his head and growled. _Too much_, his mind screamed at him. "I need to know what happened." He got up and started pacing behind her.

"You need to rule out who, Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered. Suddenly she felt a chill run down her spine. _I so do not like the sound of that_, she thought.

The hanyou collapsed back into the chair he'd vacated and let out an explosive sigh. His ears folded down and he rubbed at his eyes with his fingertips, mindful of his claws. She could help him, he was sure of it. He needed her to help him. But most of all, he wanted her to trust him. He had to tell her the truth.

"I need to rule out myself, Kagome."

"What do you mean, yourself?" Kagome asked. Her hand clutched at the edge of the keyboard. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't want to see his face. "You'd know if you'd killed her. And you didn't kill her. Kaede swore to me that you didn't kill Kikyou…" Kagome forced herself to turn and face him. Golden eyes met with warm brown and Kagome felt something crack inside. There was so much pain in his eyes, so much uncertainty.

"Kagome, I don't remember. The whole fucking three days I was missing are just a god damned blank."

(B)

**Edit**: Again, working on changing a few things. I feel I've got a good opportunity here to re-hash and re-work, so I'm taking it. The main change came in the family history… There needed to be some changes and some clarification. Thanks for sticking with it, guys!


	3. Tenants

First and foremost I'd like to say thank you to my two reviewers, smittin kittin and szmadad. Thanks for your comments. I'm glad you enjoyed what I've written so far. I'm STILL out of work, so I get to write sometimes, when I've got nothing more pressing (like finding way to pay bills without my income) so I'll hopefully have a new chapter for you guys in a week or so. Hopefully sooner!

Again, thanks and enjoy… oh and if anyone would be interested in Beta-ing for me… I'd love you to death!

**EDIT! 8-22-06**

Chapter 3: Tenants

The man sat on the stoop and waited, beginning to doubt the reliability of his soon-to-be landlord. He reached into his pocket and checked the paper again. Yes, the e-mail said one PM and the address was clearly marked. It was now one fifteen and someone was late.

Miroku ran a hand though his mop of dark hair. He was beginning to become quite annoyed with Inuyasha Tai, although this would be their first meeting. Miroku felt it was best to always be polite in business dealings, at least in outward appearance and deed. Politeness included timeliness, which Inuyasha was not exhibiting. _But_, he thought as he fiddled with his earrings, _if the guy shows up in the next few minutes and seems like a decent guy, I'll probably forgive him. Buddha knows, no one's perfect. I'm certainly not._

Miroku smiled wryly. No, he was not perfect. He looked at the faded red scar in the palm of his hand. Perfection was not attainable in this lifetime, at least not for him. Still, he would strive to reach for it. Perhaps if he made it through the trials of this life, he would be reborn in a time with less heartache. Perhaps soon he would be through with his karmic debt.

Or perhaps not.

Soon, he heard the roar of an engine approaching. He looked to the long, winding driveway and saw a flash of red through the tree trunks. Whoever it was, they were coming up fast. Miroku stood as he spied a very red motorcycle topped by a man dressed in black with a red helmet. The bike screeched to a halt not three feet from the bottom of the stoop and the man in black stood and removed his helmet. Miroku found himself staring down at a very tall, very muscular, very white haired inu-hanyou with a _very_ sour look on his face.

"Inuyasha Tai, I presume?" He bowed as he spoke. The hanyou snorted at him.

"You're Miroku?" Inuyasha asked gruffly. He looked the man up and down, taking in the loose denim jeans and faded purple shirt, then the earrings and the small queue he wore. "Hatchi said you were a monk."

"After a fashion."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Miroku opened his mouth to explain but Inuyasha snorted and shook his head. "Don't tell me," he said as he brushed past him up the stairs. "I'm pretty sure I really don't want to know." At the door he looked down at his new tenant. "You coming or not? Watch it! That third step's a bit loose." With that, the hanyou turned on his heel and stepped inside.

Miroku followed with a bit of trepidation. Never had he met anyone so rude or outspoken. And the house… The house did not look like it was in the best of shape. Outside, paint was peeling; several of the planks in the verandah were warped or cracked. All the windows seemed to be intact but the glass in some of the panes was old, presenting the viewer with odd refractions and bent light. Miroku was sure that at some point, the house had been beautiful but he had the feeling that had been several decades ago.

The inside was a bit better, but not much. The wallpaper was darkened with age and the floors creaked loudly. Ahead of him, Inuyasha opened a somewhat battered looking door and walked through it paying little attention to the man following him.

_Inuyasha. He's a dog demon, for certain. Well, half dog demon_, Miroku mused, eying the fuzzy ears. _I wonder which parent was human and which the demon?_ The monk frowned. _Wonder if he's related to Sesshomaru Tai?_

Inuyasha sat down at a desk at the far end of the room and motioned for Miroku to sit in one of the chairs on the other side. The room wasn't large, but it was crowded with books and papers. Inuyasha glanced over to see if Miroku was sitting where he'd been told and then turned to rummage in his desk for the rental agreement he'd drawn up.

"Nothing illegal on my property, you got it, Hoshi?" Inuyasha growled warningly. Miroku nodded. "Hatchi warned me you were a bit of a 'lady-killer.' I do not want enraged husbands with shotguns on my property looking to gun you down. Nor do I want the fathers of under aged little bitches beating down my door trying to find the 'damn fornicator' that 'molested' their fifteen year old daughter." Miroku gulped. "Is that understood?" The monk nodded.

"Now, I've got a proposition that is a bit different from what Hatchi might have explained to you. I drew up two separate leases just incase you still wanted the original deal." Inuyasha looked down at the two different papers in his hand and separated them. "This one," he said, holding up one of the papers, "is a typical renter's agreement, stating that you will pay me the agreed upon amount to rent the carriage house I renovated. I will, in-turn, fix appliances and property owned by me as needed. The appliances are brand new as are all the fixtures and even the walls and floors; I do not expect to be fixing them any time soon, unless you are an idiot." Miroku smirked. "Don't smirk at me, boy."

"And the second?" Miroku asked, ignoring the growl.

Inuyasha held up the second paper. "The second is the same but cuts your rent in half if you work for me here at the house some evenings and weekends." Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Just some minor painting and carpentry. I'm thinking about putting the place on the market in a few years and it needs some work. Two hands get the job done faster. You can swing a hammer and not kill yourself, right?"

"I built houses and other buildings in Honduras about ten years ago," the monk replied. "I did the same in Bengali not three years ago with a monastery from Japan. We rebuilt a town after an earthquake. I am able to swing a hammer, Mr. Tai."

"It's just 'Inuyasha,'" the hanyou grunted. "Politeness be damned. 'Mr. Tai' makes me think you're talking to my father or my damn half-brother. Except my half-brother prefers to be called 'Lord Sesshomaru.'" His lip curled up in disgust. "Fucking jackass aristocrat."

"So you _are_ related to Sesshomaru Tai?" the man asked curiously.

Inuyasha glared at him. "We have the same father."

"Not good friends, I take it?" the monk laughed nervously.

"Not in this lifetime." The hanyou glared at him for a few moments before speaking again. "Which are you gonna sign, houshi?"

Miroku smiled. "The one that has me paying less, of course. It'll be an honor to work with you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha grinned back. "Here's a pen. Sign, date and initial and I'll show you around the place."

Miroku had never found it easier to forgive someone who'd kept him waiting.

(B)

Inuyasha led in new tenant into the carriage house; he was rather proud of the progress he'd been able to make in just three short weeks. The carriage house had fallen out of usage decades ago when a relative of his mother's had taken up auto mechanics and built a real garage slightly closer to the house. The carriages had already been long gone and only a few horses were stabled there at the time as well as one or two older automobiles. When Inuyasha had been a child those few horses had been sold off; they were skittish and nervous when the young hanyou came anywhere near. So the building had been abandoned in favor of the larger, better equipped garage. But as the years passed, fewer and fewer family members lived at the estate and even that had fallen into disuse.

When Kikyou had come into his life, she'd often commented that the small carriage house was very pretty and might make a nice guesthouse or even an apartment. At the time, Inuyasha had merely pushed the thought aside, more intent on their relationship than on the property his mother had given him. But now there was nothing else in his life; his mother had died eighteen months after Kikyou and he'd never really tried to cultivate many other friendships or relationships. His father was still grieving Izayoi's death and his half-brother had never had much interest in him. All Inuyasha felt he really had left was this house and the money his mother had left him.

He'd stayed with his father after his mother's death. The older youkai had taken up residence in a remote part of Saskatchewan hoping to find peace in the open sky and woods. Inuyasha had followed, feeling lost and confused without Kikyou or Izayoi. Unfortunately, all he could seem to do was obsess over self-recriminations, doubts and the fear that he had been the cause of Kikyou's death. He had become depressed and moody, difficult for even his father to deal with. Finally, worried for his son's health, Toga had encouraged him to leave and get on with his life.

When he'd returned to Rinoko Manor, he hadn't known where to start, not in his investigation and certainly not in his life, so he just did the first thing that came to his mind and rebuilt the carriage house. Kikyou's comments had stuck in his mind and he felt obligated to at least try to update the building. It had been easier than he'd thought. He'd turned the main area into a combination living room/dining room, taken two of the old stalls and turned them into a kitchen. The old birthing stall had been lined with bookcases and the area above the stalls had been converted into a loft with two bedrooms and a bathroom. It wasn't huge but it was a beginning. There was space and light and warmth.

Putting the small house up for rent had been the furthest thing from his mind when he'd started the project but he soon felt it was the most sensible thing to do. He glanced over at his new tenant. Miroku was odd but seemed like a decent person. Inuyasha was willing to bet he was a smooth operator, someone who could talk Mother Theresa out of her panties given half a chance but he also seemed to be good at heart.

"I painted the main rooms but the bedrooms are yours to paint," Inuyasha said as he led Miroku through.

"Fine, fine. Any color you prefer I don't use?" the monk replied.

"Black?"

"How about royal purple?"

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, "Might as well be black."

"My mother was partial to Auburgine…"

"Eggplant? No. I take it you like purple?"

"It is the color of royalty," Miroku replied sagely. "In ancient days they would crush certain types of crustaceans, among other things, to make different dyes. The animals which created the boldest and most fade resistant purples were rare and hard to find and so were very expensive. Thus cloth dyed with the remains of their crushed bodies was highly prized and became the so called 'royal' purple color we have today."

"That's gross."

"That's nothing," the monk jested. "I have a veritable encyclopedia of strange and bizarre facts in my head. For instance, there were these skulls found in an ancient river basin in China with markings that resemble-"

"Shut up. No purple."

"Sure."

"Are you satisfied with the place?"

"Oh! Yes, very," Miroku answered distractedly, looking around with great interest. "It will suit my needs quite well. The workmanship seems excellent, I might add."

"Thanks. Let's move your stuff in before it gets dark."

(B)

The room was dark, but he didn't bother putting the light on. He merely stripped out of his leathers and threw them in the general vicinity of the chair by the window. It had been a long day. All he wanted was a shower and to get into bed. He walked into the master bathroom, still not turning on any lights, and immediately stepped into the shower. He'd remodeled the master bath years ago, before he'd even met Kikyou. The walls and floor of the shower were sheets of dark grey shale dug from a local quarry and the tub and countertops were made of polished granite.

Moonlight filtered in through the window over the tub as he turned the water on as hot as it would get. As sensitive as his skin was, it wouldn't burn thanks to his demon blood. He flattened his ears against his head and ducked under the deluge. As the water poured over his head and shoulders he felt some of the tension from the day leave his muscles. Unloading Miroku's moving van hadn't been difficult; the two of them had finished in just under three hours. Most things had then been arranged in a satisfactory manner just an hour after that and Miroku had bought a pizza as thanks for the help. It was the memories of the morning that kept him tense.

_Damn_, he thought as he reached for the soap, _why did I tell her? She'll never trust me now!_ He shook his head and sighed. The wary look on Kagome's face after he told her his little secret had said a hell of a lot. Unable to tolerate the rejection that would ultimately come, he'd left straight away, muttering a terse good bye to Kaede on his way out. After that he'd gotten on his bike and stormed off, driving until he was calmer. By that time, he'd realized he was slightly late for his one o'clock appointment and had rushed back to the house.

And now he was having a hard time not thinking about her. At first glance, she did look like Kikyou, but after sitting with her, talking with her, she was quite different. Kikyou had been drawn to dark colors, to cool quiet conversations and subtle glances. Kagome was bold and colorful. She seemed enthusiastic and cheerful, her face and eyes animated in a way Kikyou's had never been. She smiled, looked you straight in the face and understood. Not that Kikyou's way had been bad or wrong. It was just- different.

Inuyasha had loved Kikyou, had loved her composedness, her poise and grace. He had loved her calm smile and soft alto voice. She had been intelligent and thoughtful, quick witted and sure of herself. And Inuyasha had loved her completely.

But she was gone. She had betrayed him and hurt him then died. He was drawn to Kagome now, to her vibrant smile and enthusiastic voice. But the past was not over for him and he wasn't sure if he could ever move on, as much as he wanted to. If he had killed one woman he'd loved…

He shook himself briefly, trying to clear his mind. After he'd washed his hair and dried off, he walked back into his bedroom wondering why he felt as if he'd forgotten something. All of a sudden it hit him. _Fuck! The disk!_ He dug his claws into his tangled wet hair and growled at himself. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ He'd been so intent on leaving he'd forgotten the only clues he'd had.

He fell back on the bed with a snarl and covered himself with the sheets. No use going after it tonight; Kagome was probably already asleep. He was exhausted anyway. And either way he looked at it, he was sure to have the nightmare again tonight.

(B)

Yay! Chapter 3 is done... Not too much action, but you got to meet _My_ Miroku and see inside Inuyasha's head a bit more. And you got to see where he'd been for all that time!

BTW, the little factoids Miroku dropped... Yeah, they used to make purple dye out of dead sea creatures. Not sure what they were called but it was the main reason purple was mainly reserved for royalty. And the skulls in China:grins: My archeology teacher a few years ago mentioned these skulls with burn marks and oddly rounded holes cut in them that were found in some river valley in China. They dated back to very early man, I think nearly 100 million years ago or so, and were thought to be either early evidence of cremation (which could imply ritual and thus higher thinking)... or cannibalism (which could _also_ imply ritual and higher thinking!). I guess it all depends on how you look at it!

On that note: Have a nice day!

**EDIT**: Again, minor editing. Just changing a few words and phrases to help the story make more sense… Later chapters will have more heavy revision, I hope.


	4. The Noose

I do not own Inuyasha and I do not own the two songs used in the chapter. The first one (The Noose) belongs to A Perfect Circle and the second (eraser) belongs to Trent Reznor, whom, as much as I love him as an artist and a potential fu- um… where was I? Oh yeah! Trent needs to release the angst! Let it go, man! You've made billions of dollars and own a _frigging record label_… Let it go! I, on the other hand, am unemployed and make crappy money when I am working in my field (early childhood educators get paid **_shit_**). I can bitch and moan and be as angsty as I like! So there!

I think Inuyasha might be a little OCC in this chapter… and Kagome acts kinda ditzy… but things will get better! I promise! Yeah and I have no beta, so all errors are my fault.

**EDIT**: 8-22-06 I am in the process of revising everything and would like to note that I am no longer un-employed. My joblessness was one of the reasons I started the story. I was bored. I now work 50 hrs+ per week as a Nanny. I love my job, but it isn't really conducive to writing a lot. The revisions should be minor.

**_The Noose_** by A Perfect Circle

"So glad to see you well  
Overcome and completely silent now  
With heaven's help  
You cast your demons out  
And not to pull your halo down  
Around your neck and tug you off your cloud  
But I'm more than just a little curious  
How you're planning to go about  
Making your amends to the dead  
To the dead…"

Chapter 4: The Noose

"How could you?" he screamed. "I trusted you, Kikyou! I loved you, god damn it! Fucking hell, woman, I asked you to marry me! Offered you the rest of my goddamned life, for fuck's sake! How could you?"

"Yash, please listen to me!" She was on her knees, tears streaming down her face, clutching at the edge of his shirt. The living room they stood in was a wreck, testament to the battle that had begun just a few short minutes ago. He had refused to have their argument in public.

"No!"

"Yash-"

"God fucking damn it, Kikyou!" he bellowed. He fell to his knees and held her shoulders in his hands. He was trembling, shaking with the force of his emotions. His Kikyou had betrayed him. "I thought you loved me. You told me you loved me. I believed you."

"Inuyasha! Oh god, I do love you! Please believe me, it wasn't-" He growled at her, warning her. "Yasha, I love you so much it hurts. Please-"

"You slept with him." His voice cracked. Rage gnawed at his gut as tears made their way down his face. His claws dug into her skin, drawing blood. He didn't know weather to lick her wounds and heal them or make them deeper and shred her to ribbons. "No, not even that. You _fucked_ him. I can _still_ smell him on you."

"Yash-"

"You enjoyed it!" he snarled. Kikyou began to sob, her face resting against his chest. She gripped his shirt in her small fists and pulled at him, trying to bring him closer, trying to make him listen to her, to make him understand.

"Inuyasha, I didn't have a choice."

"Like hell, you didn't! It wasn't rape or coercion, Kikyou. I'd have been able to tell by your scent; you would have been distressed, sad, scared. You would have had some other emotion than-" he choked on his words, unable to continue. He shuddered and threw her away from him. She crumpled in a heap, her long grey skirt pooling around her. "But you didn't smell that way," he whispered, almost to himself. "I didn't smell fear on you, or sorrow or even fucking shame. You willingly betrayed me. You tell me you love me and yet you willingly gave yourself to another man, a man who- damn it!"

"Inuyasha, please listen to me! Please try to understand, I-"

"Just who was it, Kikyou? Which one of them did you fuck? I didn't recognize the scent." He growled at her menacingly. "Did you even know his name? Or was it just some random frat boy? Was he the only one? Or was that why you made it a habit to shower before you came home? Is that why I never smelled them on you before? Did you find a good fuck, wash it off and then come waltzing back into my arms?"

"No, Inuyasha, no. You know why I showered before I came home. You told me that the chemicals from the lab bothered your nose. I did it for you, because I love you and…" She crawled over to him and put her head down on his knee. "Please, love. Please listen to me. Please believe me. I would never do anything to harm-" He put his hand on her head and she quieted. He smoothed her dark hair against her skull for a moment and tried to calm his breathing. She trembled beneath his hand but he ignored it, trying to gather the strength to say what he knew needed to be said.

"Get out." His voice was so soft she didn't respond at first. "Get out!"

"Yash," She hesitated, biting her lip. "What- what do you mean?"

"I mean get the fuck out of my house!"

"But, Yash- Please don't do this. Please, no."

"You're not stupid, bitch, don't act it." His voice was cold. He would not break; he would not bend. "It's over. I'll send your things to your aunt in the morning. As for you, I never want to see you again, _you faithless whore!_" He roared at her now. Standing, he picked her up by her hair and dragged her to the door. She tripped and fumbled, her feet trying to find purchase on the waxed wood floor.

"Inuyasha! No! No, please, love!" She wailed and cried, her weak nails tearing at his hard skin. At the door he lifted her to face him and she found her feet again. He stared into her grey eyes, now luminous with tears. His other hand went to her throat. For an instant he saw her, dead, her throat slit and her face battered. _No!_ he thought, startled and pained. _No, even after this, I still love her too much. Even after all this pain, I could never..._

He let go, making sure she stood on her feet before stepping away. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, inhaling all the scents around him. The night bloomed around them, full of life. But all he could smell was _she_. The softly floral scent of her soap, the slightly chemical smell of her shampoo, the sharp musk of a man he wanted to kill and a tinge of blood from around her mouth and arms. The tang of her fear and sadness made his heart flinch but he stood firm. She wasn't hurt, not really. A bruise here and there and her arms might be tender for a while. She would survive. He wasn't so sure about himself.

"Inuyasha?" She was trembling, body and voice. He leaned over and kissed her one last time. Her lips were soft and warm, as they'd always been, but he tasted blood. She'd bitten her lip through. A shaft of pain tore through his heart.

"Good bye, koishii."

"NO!"

(B)

_need you  
dream you  
find you  
taste you  
fuck you  
use you  
scar you  
break you  
lose me  
hate me  
smash me  
erase me_

Eraser, NIN

(B)

The sun had risen by the time he woke up. The dream still echoed in his head, not so much a nightmare as a painful memory. He stared at the pillow beside him that had belonged to Kikyou and stifled the urge to rip it to shreds. _I need to forget her, get on with my damn life. But I can't. Not until I've laid her to rest._

Stretching, he got up and made a stop in the bathroom. After throwing on some old clothes he made his way downstairs, briefly checking the clock in the hall on the way. Seven fifty-eight. Morning sucked and his hanyou internal alarm clock sucked. He never got to sleep past eight AM. Padding barefoot down the stairs to the kitchen, his slightly clawed toes made little noise. Shoes were just torture; the longer he wore them, the more easily annoyed he became and as he was already an irritable dog, shoes could make him an impossible jackass. His home was one place he refused to wear them.

The blessed aroma of coffee was just beginning to fill the kitchen when there was a knock at the front door. Inuyasha stomped towards the door, ready to shout something rude (and probably quite crude) to the early morning visitor when he recognized the scent. _Kagome?_ Before he could think of a reason not to, he opened the door. For a moment he just stared at her, blinking owlishly, still too sleepy to react.

"Inuyasha? Earth to Inuyasha?" She waved her hand in front of his face and laughed as he shook his head and backed away. "Are you awake?" He scrunched up his face a bit and shook his head. "May I come in?" Nodding he stepped back and let her in.

"Coffee," he croaked.

"Yeah, I'm like that too before my first two cups."

"Mmm," he mumbled. Kagome giggled. Still smiling, she followed him back to the kitchen, making herself at home. The kitchen took up a good portion of the back of the house and had been remodeled and painted a bright cheery yellow when Inuyasha was still a kid. A lot of the work was starting to look old but Inuyasha figured he could fix it whenever. Taking down two mugs from the cabinet, he poured some of the life-giving brew for each of them then pulled the sugar bowl over and dumped three or four spoonfuls in his own cup. Blinking, he realized he should offer her some as well.

"Sugar?" His voice sounded rough to his ears.

"Two please, and powdered creamer if you've got it?"

"Next to the fridge." He dumped in two spoonfuls of sugar and handed her the mug.

"Thanks!" She grabbed the creamer and started fixing her coffee, still talking and looking up at him occasionally. "You left that disk at my house yesterday, by the way. I thought you might show up last evening to get it, but you didn't. As anxious as you were to get your hands on those e-mails, I didn't think you wanted to lose them."

"Thank you. I didn't remember until late last night."

"I was up until midnight, you should have stopped over."

Inuyasha smiled. _Guess I was wrong. She does trust me._ "Feh. It was too late by the time I remembered. I was tired, myself, last night. I had a tenant move into the carriage house yesterday afternoon and I kinda helped him move in. And Kaede would have killed me if I had shown up at her doorstep that late."

"A tenant? What's his name?"

"Miroku Hoshi. And I'm going to warn you once," he said, emphasizing his words with his spoon, "I've been told the man is a terrible letch with wandering hands. You might not want to get too close to him."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Don't mention it."

"Did you need any help with your garden? It's looking kinda…" she paused, looking unsure.

"Dead?" he offered, thinking of the tangle of thorns and Kudzu the yard had become. The parasitic plant killed just about everything it attached itself to and he was sure it would take months of work, if not years, to tame the mess that had taken over his property.

"Yeah. You might say that."

"If you can bring that tangled mess back to life, it'd be a miracle," he snorted. "It's been three years since anyone's touched it and even then, it didn't look too good. The kudzu's pretty much killed off most of the original plants that survived the years before I moved back here a decade ago. My mother used to keep it beautifully but when we moved to Raleigh, she turned it over to a caretaker. They didn't do their job very well."

"Keade told me your mother was a miko. It was one of the reasons they got along so well."

"Yeah, well, she never told me much about it."

Kagome smiled at him. "She probably never thought much about it. Most of us just… fall into our gifts. I'll bet she was a bit like me and had a good hand with plants." She chuckled and took a good long sip of her drink. "When I still lived in Arlington, it was harder to see them, but I could always feel the life forces of the plants around me. I was always unconsciously feeding them with my power. Our townhouse had the biggest, brightest flowers for miles. Mom said they started to fade when I moved, though. I kinda feel bad about that."

"Your power was gone and they couldn't feed off it anymore," he said wonderingly.

"Yeah," she said, nodding. "That's pretty much what Kaede said when Mom asked her about it after she 'labled' my power as being a 'spirit healing' one." Kagome smiled and leaned back against the counter. "I'll bet your mother moving had something to do with this place failing. And I know my cousin couldn't have done anything to help the place. Her powers were more earth and mineral based than life based." Suddenly her face lit up. "Maybe your mom can come visit after I've livened it up a bit? I'm sure she'd hate to see it so dead and I'd love to ask her for pointers. Those pecan trees in the side yard grew huge!"

"She died a year and a half ago."

"Oh."

"I spent the fifteen months after her death in Saskatchewan with my father, trying to… do something. He wanted to mourn her in a place a bit less crowded than Raleigh."

"If he was a full Taiyoukai, I can understand why. So that's where you were!" Her eyes were wide, as if she'd figured out some big secret. "Kaede said you'd been missing. I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. I lost my father when I was about eight; my brother Souta was just an infant. He doesn't remember Papa."

"It's ok, really. No need for you to apologize." Kagome raised an eyebrow at him and he chuckled darkly. "Well, it will be eventually."

"Did you tell Kaede?"

He shook his head. "No. She'd… no, I didn't tell her."

"Do you want me to?"

He stared at her a moment and then nodded, somewhat grateful for the offer. He'd been dreading telling the old woman. Too many people had died.

Truthfully he was still a little shocked that Kagome was actually there, standing in his kitchen drinking coffee with him the day after he'd told her he couldn't remember if he had killed her cousin in cold blood. She looked _right_ there, of course, comfortable and secure. Hell, she just looked plain good, in his opinion. Her long legs were displayed by cut off jean shorts and pale pink scoop necked shirt framed her face (and her cleavage, which he couldn't help but notice) prettily. _You're as bad as that damn monk_, he growled to himself as he realized he was staring at her breasts.

She looked at home in his kitchen, leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee in her hand and a smile on her face. Her hair was up in a high ponytail that only reached the tops of her shoulders and she had leather sandals on her feet. She smelled like a warm summer field. Briefly, he remembered Kikyou, standing in that exact same pose, getting ready for work one morning.

It had been summer. She wore a sleeveless white blouse and black dress slacks with pearls. Her shoes had been pointy with high heels. She'd looked elegant and graceful and smelled of expensive perfume. She made it look effortless.

_I have to stop comparing them, _he thought._ Kagome isn't Kikyou and Kikyou is gone. Kagome is alive and… very different._ Glancing down at his paint stained jeans and threadbare tee shirt he snorted to himself. _I still look like a fucking slob by comparison, though._

Looking up at her again, he watched her sip her coffee. Suddenly, he needed to know.

"Why are you here? Why are you helping me?"

(B)

Kagome blinked. His golden eyes tore at her heart so she closed hers as she looked down at her coffee. She turned her head so she was facing away from him and opened them again. _It's eating at him._ She sighed and bit her lip, trying to gain courage to look him in the eyes again.

"Because," she said.

"Because what?" She didn't respond. _His eyes! There's so much pain there! How do other people **not** see it?_ "Look at me, Kagome. Why are you helping me?"

She looked up at him then, warm brown fusing with burning gold.

"Because your eyes are killing me."

"Huh?" He looked at her, confused.

She laughed sadly. "I heal things, Inuyasha, not just plants but people, too. Not so much physically, though I can do that, more emotionally. Your aura is strong, stronger than most youkai auras I've seen but your eyes…" She trailed off and took a step towards him. "Something inside is shattered and it shows in your eyes. It's eating you alive. I feel I _must_ help you. I don't have a choice."

A light in his eyes dampened slightly and a frown turned his lips, hardening his already cynical face. She felt the urge to step back but stood her ground, refusing to feel fear. Fear would upset him even more, though she knew he expected it.

"Do you think I killed her?" His voice was sharp and demanding. Kagome took a deep breath and then stepped closer before answering.

"Do _you_ think you did?"

"Answer the damn question, Kagome!" he snarled at her taking a step of his own towards her. His stride was longer and it brought them close enough to touch. She had to crane her neck up to look him in the face.

"No, I don't think you murdered my cousin," she whispered.

He relaxed slightly and backed away a touch, though not fully. A mere two feet separated them. Kagome worried at her lip. _Will he notice the difference in wording? The difference in the meanings, in the intent…_ He looked down at his coffee and smiled slightly and Kagome breathed easier again.

"Well," he muttered darkly, "at least you don't believe I intended to kill her, like most people around here." Kagome flinched at the cynicism and anger in his voice. "Hell, even I can't say for sure that I didn't."

It was too much. Aunt Kaede had been right about him, he was no murderer and there was so much good in him. Kagome knew he thought she might pity him but she didn't. He was strong, he protected what was his; his sense of honor would demand no less of him. He felt he had failed and perhaps had even deliberately killed a woman he had loved. She could not let him suffer thinking she felt he was guilty.

"I can. You loved her. You would never have intentionally harmed her because..." she swallowed roughly. "Because you loved her." She saw him flinch slightly. The pain in his eyes increased and she looked away, unable to tolerate the emotions his hurt stirred in her.

"Yeah. I did."

(B)

Miroku eyed the waitress with a smile then winked at her as she finished refreshing his mug. She was charmed, of course and with a coy swing of her hips, walked away from his booth. Few women had ever tried to resist his charms, even if he was only flirting, as he was now.

Not that he never set out seduce one of the lovely creatures that were drawn to him like flies to honey. He might be a monk (of sorts) but he loved women as much as the next man (more perhaps) and was quite partial to sins of the flesh. All women were beautiful in his eyes. The waitress in her twenties was quite pretty but so was the seventeen-year-old sitting on the nearby stool in the halter-top and daisy dukes. So was the thirty-something woman in the jogging suit gulping orange juice as she sweated from her run. Miroku smiled and sipped his coffee. Ah, the beauty of a summer morning.

By far, the most beautiful creature in the small diner was probably the woman he sat back to back with. He'd caught a glimpse of her as she crossed the street with a young boy no more than thirteen. Her brother, he'd guessed, she didn't seem old enough to be his mother. They had been smiling and laughing and Miroku was intrigued. He had followed her, ducking into the diner after them and fortunately being seated right behind her. Seated as he was, he was unable to watch her but man was given ears for a reason.

Her name was Sango. The boy with her was her brother, Kohaku. They were doing their weekly "brother-sister" bonding by eating out and then going to an arcade to waste ten bucks each. Kohaku challenged his sister to a DDR match, complaining that she always won the shooting games because she was such a crack shot.

"You're not such a bad shot yourself, Kohaku," he heard Sango laugh. "Someday you might even make it onto the force like Dad and me."

_Force?_ He sat up a bit straighter, worried now. _Please be talking about the "force" from Star Wars, I can deal with that. Please don't be a cop! _The waitress returned from the kitchen with his breakfast and he feigned a smile as he strained to hear the conversation behind him.

"You know I was barely any better than you when I entered the police academy in Batten Rouge," she continued. "Dad thinks you could be better than even he is and he's the best in the state."

_Fuck_.

"Uh, Sango, I don't really want to be a cop."

"What would you rather be?" she asked.

"A pro skateboarder!"

"Kohaku, you can barely stay standing on one of those things!" Sango laughed and the siblings continued to discuss possible careers for the younger of the two, each suggesting something more outrageous than the other. Miroku struggled not to allow this face to show disappointment, aware that a sudden change in his pleasant expression would surely be noted.

_Damn, why'd she have to be a cop?_ Miroku moved his scrambled eggs around in a mulish way. It really did figure; the prettiest girl in town just happened to be a policewoman. He'd come here to hide his not so legal past and try to start anew. Hopefully there weren't any warrants out for his arrest. He doubted there would be; while he was not strictly speaking "law abiding" he was no hardened criminal, just a bit of a con artist on occasion.

Mushin, his godfather and former guardian, had taught him everything he knew, good and bad, from talking his way out of a bar fight to talking a woman into his bed. The old sot had taken care of him after his parents died, as they had asked in their will. Still, Miroku was pretty sure they had not intended their son to live the life he'd lived. Early on, Miroku had tried to live up to his family's reputation of good deeds and high spirituality. He'd joined a prestigious Buddhist monastery and worked for many charities and foundations in a variety of positions. As he grew older though, he'd succumbed to the family faults: wandering hands and eyes and a smooth tongue that kept him out of trouble.

Trouble had still found him, of course, in the form of Naraku, a hanyou with disturbing habits and the ability to pay handsomely for information or services. Miroku had been seventeen when Naraku and his group of refined thugs had contacted him. He soon learned that his parent's death had been no accident and that the family's ties to Naraku's organization had existed for generations.

He looked at the scar on his left palm and smiled cynically. _I'll find you, Naraku,_ he promised silently. _Soon, the Hoshi family will no longer be your pawns. Soon, your game will be up._ The man had played with his family and others for far too long. Miroku was the only one left now, the last Hoshi. _But maybe_, he thought, _maybe that is for the best. If I'm the last, if I have no children and leave behind no trace, then even if I do not destroy the organization, my family will never again be tainted._

Behind him he heard Sango ask for the check. Her brother was teasing her about some past trouble she'd made. She threw her napkin at him laughing and then swore she'd beat him at DDR later today. Miroku smiled. He'd never had a sibling and had never understood the bonds; he envied Sango. When she left the table he watched her; she moved like a dancer, her movements precise but still somewhat loose and flowing. He appreciated her soft curves even as he estimated that they were backed up by hard muscle; the legs that filled her jeans in all the right places could probably deliver a killing kick to a man's throat. The arms and hands that looked so delicate and feminine could probably punch him right into next week. He would prefer the strength in her arms, hands and legs being used for other, more pleasurable activities, but lately his luck had been bad in that regard. _She'd probably drop kick me into next week if I made a move_, he thought morosely.

As she reached the door she turned back into the diner and their eyes met. His breath caught in his throat as he saw her eyes widen. Her eyes were the color of warm brandy, dark brown with a hint of warm red lights. _Mine_, was his only thought. It startled him, but as soon as it appeared it was gone and so was she.

_So_, he thought, _how does one seduce a lady cop?_

(B)

Music is a strong force in my life and there are a lot of songs that influenced this chapter. I listened to a loop of about 40-50 songs while writing it; everything from Nine Inch Nails to Amiee Mann to Better Than Ezra to Ani Difranco. Special songs for this chapter include: The Noose (a perfect circle), Eraser (nin), The Killer Inside (BTE of course), As Is (ANI!), The Saddest Song (morphine), Hallelujah (Rufus Wainright), Ana's Song (silverchair), Sugar Kisses (echo and the bunnymen) and Bomb (Bush).

EDIT: Not much done to this chapter, but enough that I need to mention it. Hope ya'll enjoy!


	5. The Smell Of Sunshine

Sorry this update took so long. I'm finally working again (yay) and I'm busy more often now. I'd like to thank my readers and reviewers, I'm glad you like what I've done, not that it's terribly impressive, but hey, it makes me happy!

Anyway! Enough chatter! MORE STORY! Again, Inu is a bit OCC, though Kagome is getting better, I think. No music this chapter. My fiancé gets annoyed when I play my music without my headphones (which I can't find) so I ended up listening to him blowing things up and killing aliens on his computer. HE doesn't have a jack for headphones on his computer. The sound of mutant alien spiders chittering and screaming is REALLY freaky; especially just before they get splattered by weird guns. ::shudders::

Chapter 5: The Smell of Sunshine

_The fool's devotion_

_Swallowed up in empty space_

_The tears of regret_

_Frozen to the side of his face_

_The smell of Sunshine_

_I remember sometimes_

NIN "i'm looking forward to joining you, finally"

* * *

"Yeah. I did."

The silence that hung over the kitchen after those three words was oppressive. Suddenly, Kagome didn't know what to say. That Inuyasha had loved her cousin deeply was painfully obvious; the quiet pain in his voice spoke volumes.

Silently, she drank her coffee, furtively glancing at her host between sips. When she was finished, she walked over to the sink and began to rinse her mug out. _Might as well go home_, she thought sadly. _I have the feeling he's not going to welcome too much more of my company, though I'm actually beginning to enjoy his_.

"There might be a bagel in the bread box if you're hungry," Inuyasha said suddenly, surprising the girl. "I'm not a cook. The best I can usually do is a bowl of cereal or a toasted bagel in the morning. I'm kinda helpless without frozen dinners."

"You don't have to make me breakfast," she whispered.

"I'm not making you breakfast," he almost growled. "You can make it yourself, wench. I'm not about to cook for every god damned, nosy bitch..." He paused, clenching his fist around the mug. Kagome heard the creak of porcelain about to crack and took a step towards him, one hand outstretched.

"Inuyasha?"

He paused and looked up at her, his fist relaxing. Shrugging, he looked away. When he spoke again his voice was not so harsh yet still conveyed his strength.

"I'm not used to people coming over. I'm not used to company. I won't apologize; I'm not sure I could be sincere and I don't like empty words. But I'd like it if you'd stay a little while. I know I'm rough around the edges but I'm- I'd like you to stay. Do you mind?" He made sure he didn't make eye contact with her while he spoke, instead looking out the kitchen window into the mess the backyard had become.

"No, it's ok. I'll stay if you like," she whispered. She wanted to comfort him, wrap her arms around him and hug some of the pain away. He wouldn't accept it, she knew. He would see it as pity and his pride would not allow it. She bit her lip trying to come up with a safe topic.

"Do you have Fruity Pebbles?" she asked timidly.

"No. Closest I've got is Lucky Charms." He laughed, though it sounded a bit more like a bark. "You still eat kids' cereals?"

Kagome grinned. "When I can get my hands on them. I kinda miss Smurf Berries."

"Haven't seen Smurf Berries in a really long time. I've got some 'magically delicious,' super sugary, marshmallow toddler crack, though." He took a seat on a stool and watched her. "Help yourself. They're in the third cabinet on the right. Bowls are above the dishwasher on the left."

Kagome helped herself to a large serving and sat down at the stool opposite where he host had sat, at the kitchen island. As Inuyasha got his own breakfast ready, she watched him, fascinated by the way he moved. _He's so graceful_, she thought, _so strong and_... She bit her lip at the thought. He was attractive, true, but he was not going to be interested in her or even in a relationship at this point. Maybe a quick fuck, but Kagome was pretty sure she wasn't good at being just a quick fuck. A relationship would be out of the question. She couldn't blame him. The death of a fiancé had to be difficult to live through. Add that he wasn't sure if he'd killed her and the rumors of her infidelity and you had one horrible mess! Kagome had heard that he'd accused Kikyou of cheating on him, that he'd had some irrefutable evidence that she'd slept with another man. Apparently he'd made a public scene when he'd surprised her at the university one day and accused her of sleeping around.

Kagome still couldn't believe that Kikyou would be unfaithful. Something was not quite right here. Kagome and Kikyou had not been the sort of cousins to giggle over schoolgirl crushes. First off, Kikyou had been quite a bit older and much more serious than Kagome ever had been. But they did share interesting experiences on occasion.

When thirteen year old Kagome had called, bubbling and giggling about her first kiss, Kikyou had related the tale of hers, which was not quite as exciting, but still interesting to hear. Kikyou had never cheated on a boyfriend. Ever. In fact, Kagome only knew of two other men her older cousin had dated and both relationships had ended amicably because one or the other had moved. Kikyou _had_ confided that Inuyasha had been the only lover she'd ever had, a fact which now made Kagome somewhat uncomfortable because she found him so attractive. Her cousin had made it clear she was satisfied with the relationship and had said she was now ruined for other men. There had to be some reason Kikyou had betrayed him! It wasn't like her to... do something like that.

Kagome mulled over the question as she munched her sugary treat. Well, whether she cheated or not, there was definitely another man involved and he might have something to do with her death. Of course asking Inuyasha who the guy was might be like walking up to a lion and saying "boo." But what about all those people she worked with or her friends? Someone had to have known something about what had gone on.

"Inuyasha?" she asked hesitantly. "What was Kikyou working on when she died?"

He made a face as he ate his own cereal. Swallowing a mouthful, his forehead wrinkled. "She was working with a group experimenting with Shikon; I think she said it was a hallucinogen?" Kagome nodded. She was familiar with the drug; some of her friends who were med students had stolen it from their labs to sell as a natural alternative to LSD. "She said something about it being used for control over delusional patients with powers; youkai run amuck and the like."

"Yeah, I've heard of that; we discussed it in my botany classes. But Kikyou worked with a university group, not a drug company. It's seriously strong shit. Most universities won't touch it unless they have a hospital attached and use it in their emergency rooms, mainly because it tends to get stolen for recreational uses."

"I don't know, Kagome," Inuyasha shook his head. "I'm just telling you what Kikyou said. She didn't often talk about her work to me, so when she did I paid attention. I think she felt that it might corrupt the data if she shared it outside of the scientific community."

"Was she in charge of the group or was it someone else?"

"I think she said it was Naraku, the guy on the list she sent you. He and Kanna transferred here the year before Kikyou started."

"What else did Kikyou do?"

"Not too damn much, as far as I remember. She was a bit obsessed with work. She worked out at the university gym and I think she'd made friends with Sango Tatian."

Kagome smiled. "Huh. That's funny. Sango never mentioned spending time with her to me. I know they knew each other but I didn't know they were friends."

"You know Sango?" Inuyasha looked a little shocked

"Of course!" Kagome giggled and shook her head, taking a bite of her now nearly soggy cereal. "I've lived here a year now; you think I've been a recluse or something? I pretty much grew up here, as well. You know we visited this place three or four times a year, right?"

"No, I didn't know that. I'm a bit shocked that you even know Sango, actually. Sango is a few years younger than me and she's also not one of the easiest people to get along with. Sure she's a nice girl and a dedicated police woman, but she's a tad defensive and hard to get close to."

"Well, I like her. I've spent most of my summers here and I played with Sango when we were younger. We were pen pals for a long time as well. Our brothers are friends, too. Hell, even our cats get along!" She smiled more widely and pointed her spoon at him. "Actually, I'm really surprised you and I never met; Aunt Kaede told me you grew up here but I never saw you. I was pretty social when I was visiting and I know just about everyone in town, except for those affiliated with the university. With your features, I'd remember if I'd met you."

It was Inuyasha's turn to smile. "That might be because I'm fifteen years older than you and we moved to New York when I was thirteen, which would have been two years before you were born." He chuckled at her blank stare.

"You're thirty-six?"

"Yeah."

"Damn. You don't look a day over twenty-five!"

"Hanyou age well."

Kagome blinked at him and then laughed. "Duh, that's right, you are a hanyou. I'd forgotten. Hanyou hardly age at all, baka. I remember learning in school that most can live a good six to seven hundred years if they take care of themselves. Especially hanyou who have a taiyoukai parent."

"True. Dad is definitely a taiyoukai. He's almost three millennia old, now. My half-brother Sesshomaru is seven hundred years old and doesn't look at day over thirty." He smirked, obviously thinking about his brother. Then his eyes clouded over in what cold only be called grief. "Kikyou often told me she wished I were human so we could have similar life spans."

"That wasn't nice," Kagome responded with a frown. "Kinda stupid, too. Taiyoukai can generally give their 'mates' extended life spans and their hanyou children have been shown to generally have similar powers. With an aura as strong as yours, you could have done it."

"I offered. She declined."

"Idiot," Kagome muttered under her breath.

"I agree," he replied. He was beginning to feel exposed. _Fucking hell, why the fuck has she got to be so damn nice? I want to be nice back! But I don't want to encourage her. Things will just get harder, for both of us_. He watched as she ate her breakfast, his inner demon wavering between forcing her up against the wall and kissing her breathless and grabbing her by the hair and throwing her out of his house. Ignoring both desires was probably best.

"How the hell do you know so much about hanyou anyway, wench?" he growled, trying to deny that she affected him.

"You know, you sound really dumb when you call me 'wench,' dog-boy," she snapped.

"Feh." He just crossed his arms and stared at her. She laughed.

"'Feh!' You're such a dork." He curled his lip at her in a mock snarl, making her giggle. "Anyway, I studied because I was curious. Humans share this world with several other sentient species yet tend to isolate themselves, mainly out of fear of the unknown. I feel that knowledge is power; the more I know, the less likely I am to make some type of error dealing with one sentient or another. There are many more Youkai out there than Fae. I found them similar when I studied them, though. For instance, half beings are common in both species, especially half-humans. Actually, I find it a miracle that hanyou exist at all with all the trouble humans have reproducing, not to mention the species DNA barrier. It should be scientifically impossible for human DNA to mix with youkai DNA. Yet there are many hanyou born every day."

"Few hanyou have children, though."

"I noticed that. I've often wondered why that is."

"We can live a long time. Often, we want to have all our fun before settling down and having a family. Children with _any_ youkai blood can be difficult to raise and need the parents' undivided attention. Some of us wait too long, though. I have a hanyou friend who is nearly two-hundred years old, looks about thirty and has no intention of fathering children until he looks a bit closer to fourty."

"You were ready to start a family with Kikyou though and you're still young. Why?" Kagome leaned forward, her brow furrowed.

"I felt I was ready. But it was a moot point; Kikyou did _not_ want a family with me. I doubt she wanted to have children at all but she especially didn't want them with me."

"But-"

"She told me if I wanted kids I could adopt," he interrupted.

Kagome looked at him in horror then closed her eyes and put her hands over her face. _Kikyou, how could you? His heritage is something to be proud of, not something to hide and shun. You little fool._ She took a claming breath and looked back up at her companion. She could feel the anger eating at her and she was sure that it was nothing compared to Inuyasha's. The woman he'd asked to be his wife had rejected even the thought of having his child. It had to hurt like hell.

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha."

"It's not your fault."

"No, but she was my relative. She may have been a good person, but she let her prejudices and her emotional scars get in the way of your relationship and that was wrong. Kikyou should have been in therapy but negative feelings against youkai are so common, no one thought to suggest it. Did she ever tell you about Ainako?"

"Who?" Inuyasha looked confused.

"Ainako was her older sister. I think she would have been thirty-eight last month. They weren't extremely close, but they were sisters all the same. I didn't know her at all. She was fifteen when she died and I hadn't been born yet.

"Most of the family lived in the Washington, DC area at that time, Kikyou and her parents were living in the Alexandria area. I don't know all the details, but I do know that Ainako was kidnapped while on the metro. The kidnapper contacted the family but didn't demand anything, he just put her on the phone and told her to scream. I think he just wanted to let them know she was being tortured." Kagome took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were filled with tears. "Her body was found a few days later. There was evidence of torture, mutilation and rape. After a few autopsies it was decided that Ainako had been murdered by a spider youkai."

"Kikyou would have been about six," Inuyasha whispered.

Kagome nodded. "She never got over it."

"No. I don't expect she would have."

"She hated youkai and hanyou," she said sadly. "I think it was amazing that she fell in love with you. You must have been very special to her."

"Was he ever caught?"

"No, but through witnesses and a few similar crimes he was eventually identified as a spider youkai named Onigumo. He disappeared about ten years ago, no trace has been found of him since. Kikyou warned me to stay away from all youkai and anyone with any youkai blood, just in case."

Inuyasha smiled. "She was protective of you."

"I was the next most powerful miko in the family." Kagome laughed. "I think a lot of her interest in me stemmed from that, you know. We've had a few other miko in the family; Ainako had been a miko, actually." Kagome looked down at her empty bowl and smiled sadly. "I should get going. Thank you for breakfast." She stood and took her bowl to the sink, rinsing it out. Inuyasha's eyes followed her.

"You're welcome." He stood and walked to the kitchen door. "I can walk you out if you like." Hands stuffed in his pockets, he looked somewhat shy to Kagome.

"I'd like that," she responded, walking to the door to stand facing him. She looked up at him and smiled, hoping to see him again soon. "Would you mind if I came and worked on the kudzu out there later on this week?" she asked meekly, not wanting to reveal her eagerness to see him again. "I really am interested in seeing some of your mother's base spells. I can feel some real power in this ground."

"That would be... nice." He slipped past her and began to lead her through the house. He could smell her behind him, the warm floral scent relaxing him. "Thank you," he finally said as he reached the front door and opened it for her.

"For what?" she asked as she walked past looking up at him.

"The disk."

"Oh! No problem!"

He followed her out onto the porch and stuck his hands back in his pockets and avoided her eyes. "Still, you made an effort to help me and I appreciate it."

"Well, thank you for breakfast, then."

"You're welcome." He looked off at the trees and tapped his bare foot against the weathered wooden boards of the porch. "Would you mind helping me?"

"Anything you want, all you need to do is ask, Inuyasha," she responded.

"Be careful what you say to a youkai, wench," he warned. A chill had gone through him as she'd spoken and he'd felt a flare of miko magic. "Most of us will hold you to it and not all of us are as friendly as I am."

"Yes, yes, oh evil one."

"I'm not kidding, bitch!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you're not! But I'm perfectly willing to do what I can to help you. I have no qualms about making you that promise."

"Because my eyes are killing you?" he snarled, throwing her words back in her face, now glaring directly into her warm brown eyes.

"Because, for some strange reason, I like you." It was Kagome's turn to look off into the trees. "I trust you and I like you. You seem like a decent person beneath the jack-ass exterior."

"Feh. I'm not."

"Oh that's so obvious. And it's also obvious I'm not a bitch who has the sudden desire to make you sit like the dog you are." Kagome turned back at him to glare as he smirked at her remark. Her glare didn't last long and soon she was smirking back, enjoying the banter between them. She was looking forward to coming back and working on his yard, to seeing him again. It might be torture to see and not be able to have, but she felt she could deal with it. When his eyes became serious again, her smile faded as well.

"Will you help me look for Kikyou's killer?"

"Yes. But you have to promise me something."

His eyes narrowed. Kagome knew he was debating about trusting her, even though he was the one who had asked her for help. "What?"

"Promise me you will be honest, even if I ask questions that are hard or that you don't want to answer." She bit her lip in anticipation. She could always cast a truth spell, but they weren't pleasant and she didn't want to destroy his already tenuous trust in her.

"A promise to a miko is like a spell and truth spells are damn uncomfortable," he replied.

"Yes and no," she hedged. "A promise to a miko is sacred but it won't cause discomfort unless I actually cast a truth spell, which I can't if you make this promise. It binds both of us."

"So I can't lie to you and you can't disbelieve my words."

"Pretty much."

Inuyasha smiled. That wouldn't be too hard. "OK. I promise to answer your questions as honestly as I can." Kagome raised an eyebrow. "I promise to answer all questions conserning Kikyou and her death-"

"And your relationship before her death!" Kagome interjected.

"And our relationship before her death?" Inuyasha growled. "What the fuck! You do not need to know more than you already do about that. No fucking way am I going to tell some girl hardly out of puberty about my sex life with her cousin!" Both of them blushed.

"I won't ask for... details like that." Kagome's blush turned hotter. "But think about it, you're not sure if you killed her or not. Something happened in your relationship and it ended. I'll need to know what happened between you the night before she was killed. And I'll need you to be completely honest, as hard as that might be." She reached up and put a hand on his shoulder and looked into his burning gold eyes. "Do you understand now?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I understand. I don't like it too damn much but I understand. I'll make the promise." He took her hand from his shoulder and placed it over his heart. "I promise to answer all your questions concerning Kikyou, her death, my relationship with her and our life together as best I can." Kagome felt her miko powers flare and wrap around the man in front of her.

"I promise to not doubt your truthful answers in those matters and to not cast any type of truth inducing spell on you." She gasped when his youki wrapped itself around her, binding her to her promise. "That was... very... interesting, Inuyasha." She shuddered for a moment, awed at the strength of his youki. _God, I never want to have to fight this man_, she thought. _With a youki that strong, he could easily decimate whole cities and he's not even full demon._

"Feh," he huffed. "Just keep your promise, bitch."

"Of course." Several long moments of silence passed and each studied the other's feet, lost in thought. Kagome fidgeted with her keys, which were sticking out of her pocket. She noticed that his toenails were slightly clawed but not as obviously as his fingernails. Not wanting to seem like a total dork, she looked back up at his face, meeting his eyes as he brought them up to hers. For a second, she was still a bit off balance, startled by his eyes. Then she cleared her throat and spoke. "So... When do you want me to come over?"

Inuyasha shrugged and opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Um, I don't know. I mean-"

"Why pursue an uninterested hanyou," a voice interrupted, "when you could have a perfectly willing priest, young miko."

* * *

When Miroku had driven up the long lane to his new home, he had noticed two things: one was the not so new red jeep parked in the turn around and the other was that his landlord was having an intense discussion with a beautiful woman on his front porch. Not wanting to disturb the obviously irritated hanyou, he had driven over to the garage. But when he'd felt a flare of miko power and an answering flash of youki, he became curious and a little worried. He'd never felt so much power before and seriously hoped he was not seeing his first miko/hanyou battle. He ran over to the porch without thinking further and stopped in surprise.

Both of them were perfectly fine. He could tell that the woman was really little more than a girl, her curves more complete than a teenager's but not quite that of a woman in her late twenties, placing her at twenty-two at the oldest. And she was powerful, so powerful it almost hurt to look at her. Miroku's own spiritual powers were on the moderately strong side, not enough to attract attention but enough to serve his purposes. This girl's power was like a nuclear furnace: bright, fierce and strong.

And Inuyasha's youki was equal in strength.

They were avoiding each other's eyes as Miroku walked up to the porch steps. Oddly, neither noticed him. Miroku smiled. _So the hanyou is falling for a miko. Stranger things have happened._

The girl looked at the hanyou and cleared her throat. "So... When do you want me to some over?" Her voice was hesitant and soft. Miroku's grin widened. She was just as interested in the hanyou, but nervous as well.

Inuyasha began to answer but Miroku, ever the mischief lover, interrupted.

"Why pursue an uninterested hanyou, when you could have a perfectly willing priest, young miko." Oh, yeah. He was going to get beat. The look on Inuyasha's face was priceless. He was livid.

"Hoshi," he growled.

"Yes, esteemed landlord?"

"Shut the fuck up before I tear your limbs off."

Miroku chucked. "Forgive me. It is hard for me to resist teasing a beautiful young woman."

"Fuck off."

"Inuyasha, is this the tenant you mentioned?" The girl had finally spoken up. Miroku surreptitiously looked her over, noting her long legs, warm eyes and firm curves. Yes, she was beautiful. Still, he couldn't help but compare her to Sango and in that comparison, this young girl came up somewhat lacking.

Inuyasha huffed, sneering. "Yeah, this is the letch I told you about. I hope you remember I also told you to stay away from him because he's quite accomplished at groping women?"

"I remember. Asking his name is not inviting a sexual advance." Her eyes narrowed for a moment and a somewhat sadistic smile spread across her sweet features. "And should it be seen that way, I am friends with the daughter of the chief of police here." She glanced his way and raised an eyebrow.

"Perish the thought! My name is Miroku Hoshi and I'm very pleased to meet you." Miroku gave one of his trademark smiles and quickly ran up the steps. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Kagome Higurashi." She put out a slim hand for him to shake and he took it. "I live over at Musashi Manor as Kaede's caretaker." He was surprised to feel calluses on her palm.

"You work hard for your keep?" he kept his voice light and softly worried hoping to get her to volunteer information about herself. "One as beautiful as you should not have to work so hard for her daily bread."

"I work hard because I want to. I have callused hands because I enjoy tending my gardens." She discretely slipped her hand from his grasp, her eyes narrowing slightly. _Ah, so she's smart too_, he chuckled internally. _Not one to be easily swayed by a pretty face. Good, I think Inuyasha may need her. Something about that man worries me._ "And you?" she asked politely, startling him from his thoughts. "What do you do?"

"I am about to begin teaching philosophy at Tama University," he replied proudly. "Three months ago I was the honored recipient of a letter requesting my expertise in Buddhism to fill a teaching position here."

"Oh?" The girl's face filled with curiosity and some suspicion. She'd be a horrible poker player; every emotion was on display. "You teach Buddhist philosophy? Will you be teaching anything else?"

"Well, as I am a Buddhist monk, Buddhism for the most part. I may teach a few classes on eastern religions and even a comparative religion course. The dean has not fully decided yet."

"Why does the thought of you being surrounded by nineteen year old girls send a shudder of horror through me?" Inuyasha asked absently.

"Because you are wise, Inuyasha," the monk said sarcastically. "But I shall have no time to chase students, my friend," Miroku replied.

"Yeah, that's right. You'll barely have time to prepare lesson plans. You'll be busy helping me rebuild this hunk of junk." Inuyasha smiled.

"Or you toss me out on my ass, correct?"

"Exactly," Inuyasha snarled.

Miroku noticed Kagome shaking her head at their display. Women brought out the best and the worst in men and these little pissing contests for their benefit could be either amusing or dangerous. He really hoped this was amusing to the male beside him and he wasn't about to get pummeled beyond recognition.

"Well, boys..." Kagome cleared her throat. "I have to get back to check on Kaede and then get to town to meet Sango and her brother." She turned to Miroku and shook his hand again. "It was very nice meeting you, Mr. Hoshi. Perhaps we can discuss houshi and miko powers at some point?"

"Please, call me Miroku. And I would love to discuss powers with one as powerful as yourself, Lady Kagome." Miroku bowed to her, confirming her veiled question of whether or not he had sensed her power flare.

"And as for you, Inuyasha..." The hanyou turned to look at her and Miroku felt the sudden crackle of opposing energies surround them. They weren't fighting though; they were merely clinging to each other. _Power attracts power_, the monk thought, _and these two are going to have a hard time keeping away from each other._ "I'll see you tomorrow. I'll help with the kudzu and then we'll get to work on that disk." The hanyou merely nodded and stared after her. Kagome smiled and walked down the steps, completely missing the broken one, jumped into her jeep and threw it into gear. She waved as she pulled out of the turn around, shouting, "Thanks for breakfast!"

Miroku chuckled at the implication. "Breakfast? She stayed the night? You old dog," he said, unable to keep the joke to himself. "Why, she must be half your age! But hell, for a piece of ass like that, I'd most likely do the same." He could feel the hanyou next to him glaring at him but just laughed.

"She did not stay the night. She's twenty-one. And she's related to my fiancé."

Miroku blinked, a little stunned_. I did not imagine the attraction between those two, _he thought,_ and he really doesn't seem like they type to cheat. That's more of a human trait; most dog demons are monogamous._ "I didn't know you were engaged. Where is she? Who is she?"

"Former fiancé now, actually." Inuyasha growled at him. "Her name was Kikyou. She's been dead three years now."

_That explains a hell of a lot_.

Inuyasha turned on his heel and strode back into the house, slamming the door behind him. Miroku stared after him, deep in thought. He'd recognized the name Kikyou but for the life of him, couldn't remember where from.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this last chapter. I'm not sure it moved the story forward much, but it got some things out of my head. There might be a bit of confusion at one point; I didn't keep very well to the single perspective per section and kinda threw in some of Inuyasha's thoughts in the middle of a Kagome part. Unfortunately, I liked his thoughts and decided they were staying.

I don't have a beta so if there are mistakes please forgive them. If you'd like to be my beta, please e-mail me!

Read and review, please!!


	6. How Does Your Garden Grow?

Another chapter! Yay! So um... yeah, this chapter has some male nudity, courtesy of the ever-sexy hanyou Inuyasha. If you're offended... pretend I didn't write it that way! :-D Although I do NOT go into detail so it's technically just vague nudity. Nudity from a distance...? Umm... He was wearing a rubber chicken to hide his naughty bits? You know, his wedding tackle, his twig and two berries, his spaghetti and meatball- Ooookay, I've stopped channeling Austin Powers.

There might be a lemon in the distant future of this fic... Like, seven or eight chapters from now. I do intend for this to be rather long running. If you are reading this on FFnet and want to read the later lemons, I will post them, if/when I write them, on MediaMinerORG where I write under the same name, shaid.

Oh! And I don't own Inuyasha or any of the songs I may or may not use in this work.

* * *

Chapter 6: How Does Your Garden Grow?

Sango barely had the breath to laugh. The local arcade had recently bought the _Dance Dance Revolution_ game and it was possibly the most popular in the arcade at the moment. Forget _Mortal Kombat_; forget all the shooter and fighter games. All the local kids wanted to try their luck at this machine. And all the kids included her brother, who was quickly winning this round against her.

She'd missed a step or two on purpose early on, Kohaku was only fifteen to her twenty-seven, after all and Sango was an officer of the law. But she was fighting to keep up with him, now. Dripping with sweat, she moved her feet where the arrows were lit and nearly fell on her ass. They'd been at this for almost an hour now and Sango was getting tired. An amused snicker caught her attention and out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of her friend Kagome.

_Laugh while you can, bitch, _she thought._ You're next!_ Once she lost this one she was going to convince Kohaku that Kagome was the person to beat, though she knew her friend was pretty bad at the game. _Two more minutes, _she thought_. Just two more and I'm done! _The workout she got playing this game with her brother rivaled what she did at the gym dojo. She was definitely going to feel this in the morning.

"Hey, Kagome!" she hear her brother shout. "Wanna play next?"

"No thanks, Kohaku," the girl replied cheerfully, "I'd wanted to talk to Sango about something. Girl stuff, you know?" _Damn_, Sango thought.

"You were supposed to be next," Sango snarled at her, breathlessly. There was no real venom in it but she still was annoyed.

"I won!" Kohaku shouted.

"Cool!" Kagome cried and took her wallet out of her shorts. "Here, go buy yourself a sundae, little bro."

"Meaning you want me to scram while you talk to my sister about some guy you're all over?" Kagome blushed a bit as she handed him a bill then hit him upside the head. Sango couldn't help but think of the indigo-eyed man she had made eye contact with in the café earlier. _Oh, get over it, _she told herself. _It was a chance meeting and you'll probably never see him again. He's probably just passing through. At best, he was scouting out the university for grad school and wanted to see the campus. _Sango frowned. _Damn I hope he gets in._

"Whatever!" she heard her brother say to Kagome. "You gave me a ten instead of a five; I'm gonna go get that monster sundae that no one ever seems to finish."

"Don't make yourself sick!" Sango shouted as he ran off. Kohaku was a good kid. Even if he didn't follow the rest of his family in law enforcement, he'd make the family proud. "So what's up, 'Gome? Is it really girl stuff?" The girls wandered over to an area where there were a few booths and sat down.

"Sorta. It is about a guy, but not necessarily one I'm interested in." Sango raised an eyebrow and waited knowing Kagome would get the hint. "What do you know about Inuyasha Tai?"

"Not much," Sango admitted. She was a bit stunned her friend had met him already. "He was a bit of a loner the last time I saw him. He lived here until I was about six and then moved away. I heard they moved to New York, but I might be wrong. He moved back just before I graduated from high school, I think. He must have been about twenty-five then... Then there was that whole mess with Kikyou..." Sango frowned. "Why are you asking?"

"I met him yesterday and he asked me for a favor." Kagome bit her lip and played with the hem of her shirt. "He asked me to help him figure out who killed Kikyou."

"General consensus is that he did," she replied dryly.

"I know what the general consensus is," Kagome replied hurriedly. "The whole thing looks really bad, what with him being the one to drag her dead body to the hospital and the public fight..." Kagome trailed off and looked somewhat lost for a moment. "But you know Kaede. He's innocent in her eyes. He always will be."

"And in yours?"

"I'm not sure," she whispered. "He admitted something to me, didn't say it was a secret but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't help things if it got out..." Sango made a noise indicating she was interested but Kagome seemed to be debating internally. Finally she sighed. "Ok. You won't make a big deal out of this, will you?" Sango shook her head. "He doesn't remember the three days he was missing before he brought Kikyou to the hospital."

"Didn't think he would." Sango grumbled, annoyed.

"What? Why not?"

"Because there were so many drugs in his system we couldn't even identify all of them," Sango answered.

"Drugs?"

"Yeah, a whole shit load of hallucinogens, depressants and even some narcotics. There were maybe four or five more we couldn't identify. He woke up the day before the funeral, incoherent and screaming. He refused to talk to us until he'd seen Kikyou." Sango sighed. "Of course, she was at the funeral home by then so we had to drive him over there and that was... yeah he didn't react too well to finding her in a coffin."

"What happened after that?"

"He asked when the funeral was, walked home in his hospital gown and showed up the next day all in black. He refused to speak for weeks. His parents showed up, trying to get him out of the funk but nothing worked. His brother showed up for a few days. Beat the crap out of him. There's a whole section of forest that might never grow back." Sango tightened her ponytail and shrugged.

"His brother beat him that hard?"

"Pretty much. But it got him out of his depression. He was never the same but he was more like the Inuyasha we all knew."

"Did he know he was a suspect?" Kagome asked.

"I'm not sure if he did at first," Sango replied. "I'm sure he heard talk, but I'm sure he knows by now that he's the only suspect."

"He's not sure if he killed her or not," Kagome whispered.

"There's no proof either way."

"The poor guy."

Sango raised an eyebrow. "Don't ever let him hear you pitying him. He'll never speak to you again."

"I know. I'm not sure it's pity so much as empathy for someone who's had a rough time. You know how he disappeared for so long?" Sango nodded. "His mother suddenly became ill and died. He went to New York to spend some time with her and when she died he went with his father to some cabin in Canada to mourn."

Sango closed her eyes for a moment. Izayoi Tai had always been so vibrant and kind. She could remember how the older woman had always had a kind word for everyone. She'd never spent much time with the taiyoukai's mate but always remembered how warm and happy she'd always made everyone feel.

"I'll have to remember to give him my condolences."

"I'll do that. I promised I'd be over tomorrow morning to help him with the kudzu that's taken over his yard."

Sango groaned. "No, Kagome, he is not a charity case! He'd sooner spit in someone's face than take any offered help. I'll mention that I heard there was a death in the family and offer my sympathy. He'd just get mad if he felt you were taking pity on him or something like that."

"Help wasn't offered; it was requested," the miko clarified. "Besides, I'm really excited about working on that property. There are some deep rooted spells working; did you ever notice that even the kudzu grows in an orderly direction?"

"Huh?"

"Izayoi was a miko, probably a plant oriented one like me, and she laid some really powerful spells on that property. Even the chaotic weeds follow the patterns she laid out!" Kagome looked enraptured. "I know there are some amazing flowers under all that mess. If she was a plant oriented miko then I might even find some new breeds of plants!" _Wow, _thought Sango,_ I've never seen her so excited about a garden..._

"Just be careful, 'Gome, please? He's not all that stable on a good day and he hasn't been having a lot of good days lately. Not to mention he is half youkai."

"He's half human too, though, remember? But I promise I'll be careful." She looked at her watch and stood. "I'm sorry, Sango, I should go now. Kaede will need help with her medicine and I kinda need to rest. Give Kohaku a hug for me and say hello to your father!"

The older girl stood as well and hugged her smaller friend. "Of course. Go. I'll talk to you later."

* * *

_Help me. Find it._

The voice was insistent and oppressive.

_Take the steps. Find it!_

Her dreams were dark, shadows leading her through a maze of kudzu and briars. Whispers darted around her, catching at her hair, pulling her closer. _You must help me! You must find it!_ The voice shouted in her head and Kagome was sure she was going to go mad. Suddenly the maze of plants was gone and she stood in a clearing before an incredibly huge tree. The roots were massive, creating their own maze around the ancient tree while vines of all types grew up the trunk and into the leafy branches. Tucked into the roots near the trunk was a figure in white, long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Kagome walked closer, drawn to the figure by some force. _Help me! Help him..._ As she approached, the figure turned towards her, revealing the face she'd feared she'd see.

"Kikyou," she breathed.

The specter's mouth opened soundlessly, her face full of agony and despair. _Kagome... you must promise me. You are our last hope! Find it! Help him, please!_ the voice in her mind called.

"Kikyou, I promise I will help Inuyasha."

She calmed, her face smoothing until she looked merely sad. _Remember, Kagome, you are strong. You have the strength of our miko ancestors. Take the steps, Kagome. Find the truth and help him._

"Yes, cousin," she replied softly. Chill darkness enveloped them and Kagome felt consciousness pulling at her. Kikyou whispered to her one last time.

_Heal him..._

* * *

Kagome woke with a start. Most of the dream faded with the dim morning light, but not the voice; not Kikyou's voice. _Find it_.

_Find what? _Her brow furrowed with thought. _Inuyasha asked me if she'd sent me something, a notebook or a journal of some type. Why? He would know if she'd kept a journal and it would have been with her belongings, which were all left to Inuyasha himself. _She slapped herself in the forehead._ Which is why he asked me if I'd received anything from her! Duh. Something was missing from her stuff and he assumed she'd sent it to me!_

Kagome sat upright in bed. "Oh my god! The e-mail was a clue!"

* * *

The pounding on his door matched the pounding in his head. He could hear his name being shouted by a familiar female voice. But at five minutes to eight on a Sunday morning, it was far too early to deal with the owner of that particular voice. _God fucking damn it, am I never allowed to sleep past eight in the morning? _He growled and shoved the pillow over his ears, but that really did no good. He could still hear her shouting.

The low rumble of his growl did not stop as he threw off the covers and stalked over to the window, stark naked. Throwing open the drapes he knew he was about to give her an eyeful but frankly, was too pissed to care. _God damned fucking bitch deserves what she gets for waking me up at this hour. _

"What the fuck do you want, bitch!" he roared after he threw the sash open.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha! I had this dream-" Kagome shouted as she backed up to look at him, then stopped short. He saw her eyes go wide as she realized what she was seeing. She squeaked when she caught a glimpse of just who had woken up and was presently saluting. "Um... I... Uh... oh my..."

"You woke me up, wench." He leaned against the side of the window, hoping he appeared nonchalant about his present state. She was very red in the face and was still staring, mouth gaping. "Well? Are you going to come in and tell me about the damn dream you had or are you going to stare at my 'equipment' all day? The door's open." Her eyes and mouth both snapped shut at that and she rushed to the porch like someone had lit a fire under her ass.

"I'll wait in the kitchen!" she shouted as she opened the door.

"Yeah, that's right! _Make yourself at home!_ Wake me up at the crack of fucking _dawn_ and then invade my house! Like I care! I'm just a _male living alone_, after all!" he shouted down sarcastically. Heaving a sigh, he ran a hand through his long white hair. "Great," he thought aloud. "Kagome, this had better be good. And I'm talking dominatrix in a thong good." His work clothes were covered in paint so he grabbed a pair of olive shorts off the chair next to the window and threw them on along with a grey sleeveless shirt. Down in the kitchen he could hear sounds of pots and pans banging against each other. _She's cooking? In my kitchen?_ A bit disconcerted, he headed down the stairs_. Feh, _he thought._ I smell the beginnings of bacon and possibly eggs. I definitely smell butter melting. What the hell does she think she's doing?_

When he stepped into the kitchen he was treated to the sight of Kagome wearing his mother's apron, her hair up in a messy bun. Beneath the apron she wore an apple green spaghetti strap tank and white shorts. _Green is decidedly her color but why the hell would a gardener wear white?_ She was oblivious to him, all her being focused on the task of whisking some eggs together. It took a good deal of effort for him not to salivate. She was showing a hell of a lot of skin, most of it lightly sun kissed. A good two inches of skin was visible between the top and the shorts. Inuyasha swallowed thickly.

_Does she sunbathe nude or something? _he wondered. A brief image flashed through his head of her naked on a beach somewhere. The image woke someone up again and Inuyasha felt the sudden need for a cold shower. _Damn it all to fucking hell. What the fuck am I doing?_

"What the fuck are you doing?" he barked, turning his frustration on the woman standing in his kitchen.

"You do know that the word 'fuck' is severely overused in your limited vocabulary, don't you?" she replied cattily. "I'm making you breakfast to make up for waking you so early. I'm sure you'd rather spend your Sunday morning sleeping but I had to tell you about this-"

"Dream? Yeah, you mentioned a dream." His voice was just as bitchy as hers but a touch more venomous. "Kagome, sweetheart, unless you dreamt that you were having an orgy with Madonna, three inuhanyou and a duck, I'm pretty damn sure I'm not interested."

Kagome hit him upside the head. "Bastard."

"Not according to my father."

"I had a dream about Kikyou." She stared at him and seemed to be waiting for him to react.

"So did I," he replied after a few moments had passed, deciding he'd left her hanging long enough. "I dreamt that she was stabbing me in the back with a cake knife engraved with the date of what _was_ to be our wedding. She was wearing a red wedding dress and a tiara with purple jewels. Then she used the knife to cut my balls off and stuffed them in my mouth."

"Uh... um..." Kagome bit her lip and looked at him through the corner of her eye. "You should really see a psychologist about that."

"No shit."

"She was asking me to help her."

"She wanted you to help her remove my balls? Well you've seen them now, are you still sure you want to help her with that?"

"Damn it, Inuyasha!" she shouted. "I am not talking about some lame assed regular dream! She was fucking there! She told me to 'find it!' you fucking moron! 'Take the steps,' she said. 'Find it,' she said." Kagome flailed about with the whisk as she spoke, nearly hitting her host on several occasions. Inuyasha stepped back and eyed her warily.

"Take what steps? Find what?" he demanded.

"I'm assuming she meant the notebook you feel is missing."

"How do you know I thought a notebook was missing?"

Kagome sighed in frustration. "Can I please finish making breakfast and then tell you everything? The bacon is about to burn and I haven't even started the eggs." She stood at the stove with her hands at her hips looking, in Inuyasha's mind, like a fiery harpy with a tongue of poison. He shuddered internally, hoping to wipe the image from his mind.

"I didn't even ask you to make breakfast in the first place, wench," he growled.

"Did I not tell you how dumb you sound when you call me wench, fuck-head? I'm cooking as an apology," she growled back. The growl startled him a bit, hinting that she wasn't as sweet as she seemed, but he was satisfied that she knew he didn't owe her anything for this.

"Don't burn it," he warned.

"How do you like your eggs? Scrambled or in your lap?" Inuyasha cringed at the shrewish tone and tucked his ears back.

"Scrambled, please." He ducked his head a bit submissively, cursing the instincts that caused him to bow to strong feminine rule.

"Very good. Sit. There. Now." Kagome pointed to the stool he had occupied the previous morning and resumed her task. As he complied, he couldn't help but compare the woman in his kitchen now to the one who'd occupied his bed years ago. Kikyou would never have been sarcastic or shrewish and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

The eggs smelled great and he was beginning to feel a few hunger pangs as he watched his meal be cooked. The bacon looked crispy and just burned enough and the eggs were just now starting to brown. She served up two plates, one heaping and one just under full. When she placed the smaller of the two portions in front of him, he glared up at her seductively and smiled, showing his fangs. She chuckled and switched the plates, then sat down facing him.

"Now," she said, "Where were we?"

"You were just going to tell me how you knew something of Kikyou's was missing." He began eating, eyes focused on his food, ears on Kagome.

"You pretty much told me yourself when you asked me if I'd gotten anything from her before she died." She took a few bits of her breakfast and considered her words. "Inuyasha, she left _everything_ to you. If something was missing, there was a reason."

"Yeah, I know. But it took me a while to figure out something was missing and then it took more time to figure out exactly what. You didn't answer my question, wench. Why did you run over here this morning all in a hurry after some dream that your dead cousin told you to help me?" he asked.

"Because I realized that she was not just asking me to help you but telling me how to help!"

"Huh?" He was starting to get confused. "Ok, back up. What exactly did you dream?"

She chewed her lip for a moment. "I was walking through a maze of plants, everything was overgrown and ragged. I think I might have been able to hear water nearby. A voice in my head kept telling me to 'find it' and to help them. There were these... things leading me on and then I was in a clearing with a huge tree. A lot of the tree was covered in vines and the root system was huge." Inuyasha started to listen more intently. He ignored his mostly eaten plate and focused on Kagome. _That sounds like the Goshinboku, _he thought._ There is no way she's ever been there._ The ancient tree was less than half a mile from the house but the clearing around it was so choked with weeds it would take weeks to get there. Not even the side of the clearing that bordered the river was visible anymore.

"It was easily over a hundred feet tall and decidedly old," Kagome continued, confirming Inuyasha's suspicions. "At the foot of the tree, tucked in-between some of the roots was a figure in white. She had long dark hair and the closer I got, the less I wanted her to turn around. Eventually she did turn around, though and then I was face to face with Kikyou. She opened her mouth to speak but there was no sound. She looked like she was in agony. I could hear her voice in my head though. She told me to take the steps and to help you." Kagome swallowed. "She said I was your last hope."

Inuyasha frowned. "Did she specifically say 'you are Inuyasha's last hope?' Because that I find hard to believe."

"No." Kagome shook her head. "She said 'our,' as in you and she. At least that what I took her to mean."

"Huh." He sat back and looked off, lost in thought for a moment. _Why would Kikyou come to her and not me? Was it because she knew she couldn't trust me? Was it because I killed her?_ He shook the thoughts off and looked back over at Kagome. "Weird. That still doesn't explain what made you come running over here early in the morning to take me up and tell me about it. You _could_ have fucking waited."

"Well," she hedged, "When I woke up, I thought about the dream and realized the e-mail was a clue. It may seem blank but I think there may be a hidden link or something." She took a few bites of her bacon and looked off, still thinking. "Then I wondered why she would have sent such an e-mail to me. I'm just her cousin, her younger cousin at that. But then I realized that I was her last miko cousin and that she felt it was important for a miko to be involved." Kagome looked back up at Inuyasha and he suddenly felt trapped by her eyes. "You see, she always meant for _me_ to help you find out what had happened. Honestly, I'm not sure that her death had anything to do with you or even with whatever man she was involved with." Kagome looked down at her plate and moved her food around.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"I think it might have been business."

* * *

Kagome looked at the small bit of progress she'd made and sighed. The yard was still a tangled mess and there were no real flowers left to speak of but at least something had been done. When Inuyasha had sent her out of the house saying that he needed to think, she had gone to her jeep, picked up her tools and started to work on the area near the porch. It was bare earth now, but that at least was a starting point.

She was nearly finished when she felt the aura of Inuyasha's tenant moving towards her. She turned to look and saw him walking down the lane, perhaps twenty feet from her.

"Good morning, Miroku-sama," she said as she stood.

"Just Miroku, please, my lady," he responded with a bow.

"Then just call me Kagome." She smirked at him. "To what do I owe the honor of your presence?"

"Can a man not desire to spend time with a beautiful woman?" the monk replied. "I merely noted your presence when you arrived and since you have finished a good portion of work, deemed it appropriate to join you as you rest." He smiled his most charming smile. "Also, I felt it was important that I made sure you rested. You should not tax yourself so in the heat of the day. Come and sit on the porch with me." Without touching her, he guided her over to the porch steps where each took a seat.

"Does the fact that's it's been three hours since your landlord checked on me have anything to do with it?" Kagome baited.

"A bit." Both laughed. "He is a bit... fierce when agitated. I did not want him to feel he had to protect you." Kagome raised an eyebrow. "I came to ask you a question about a certain friend of yours."

"I didn't realize you were interested in Inuyasha that way," Kagome teased. Miroku laughed as well.

"Oh, Kami, no! I heard you mention the name Sango yesterday as you were leaving." Kagome made no response; she merely looked at him. He smiled ruefully and held out his hands. "I am a fool for women, I admit. Your Inuyasha was not wrong in what he heard or what he told you. I saw Sango yesterday morning while she had breakfast with her brother; I was sitting nearby and could not help but overhear part of their conversation, which was how I learned her name."

"And now that you know her name?" she prompted.

"I would like to meet her, if it could be arranged?"

"You, yourself admit to having a weakness for women. If I introduce you to my friend, my dear friend whom I have known since childhood, where is the guarantee that you would not simply use her and break her heart?" Kagome smiled at him. "Sango is no fool and neither am I."

"Kagome, you are anything but a fool." Miroku looked into her eyes seriously for a moment. "As for Sango, from merely over hearing her conversation with her brother I am aware that she is a sweet woman dedicated to her job and her family. She is a woman with a core of steel-"

"And a heart of glass." Kagome shook her head. "Miroku, she may seem strong to you but there are many things about Sango you do not know. Yes, her will is iron. Yes, she is dedicated and loving and hard working-"

"I would like to meet her, Kagome." Miroku put up his hands. "Nothing more, nothing less. I would like a chance to get to know her, on her terms."

"I live with my great-great-aunt," Kagome told him, looking very serious. "She is the oldest miko for nearly three hundred miles. She is becoming weak in her old age and can no longer always read her scrolls and books." Kagome looked at her hands for a moment. "I am fluent in all the languages she reads but I'm busy a lot. I have my garden and I tend three more, well, four more now. I'm bringing in a bit of extra money but I can only do so much because Kaede needs someone to read to her on occasion. You, as a houshi, would also be fluent in all the languages I am."

"If I read to Kaede, you will introduce me to Sango?"

"No." Miroku looked puzzled. "If you read to Kaede, _she_ will introduce you to Sango."

"Um, could you explain?"

Kagome sighed. "Sango is a police officer," she said very slowly, as if talking to a confused child. "Can you say 'nice police woman'?" Miroku scowled at her but Kagome just laughed. "Once a day, she comes to check on us to make sure we're ok." Miroku's face lit up as understanding struck.

"So by spending time with a learned miko, which in and of itself is a reward because of all I can learn from her, I can get to meet the goddess I spied yesterday?"

Kagome laughed. "Oh, my god! Sango is so going to beat the crap out of you!" _And Kaede is definitely going to teach you a thing or two._

* * *

_**Author's note:**_

To end, I would like to thank my reviewers and answer any questions they might have had. NordicaVB on had said they were confused by the memories of Inuyasha and Kikyou's relationship... sorry, but for now so am I. I'll give you guys more when I have more. I swear to you, though, that I won't Kikyou bash. Her character in the manga and the anime is very interesting and while I don't like her, I have to respect her. Kinda like Jamie Lee Curtis: Great actress but she just sets my nerves on edge. And since you liked my fun facts, here's another:

The nursery rhyme "_Ring Around the Rosie_" is from the days of the plague, when people were dying by the hundreds, sometimes thousands, each day. The initial line refers to the red spots that would appear on one's skin once one was infected. "Pocket full of posies" refers to the stench that one ill with the disease gave off. They carried flowers to mask the sent of decay. "Ashes, ashes we all fall down..." Well, just think about it. What was the easiest way to get rid of something contaminated in those days? Burn it! So the dead were burned and if they weren't, the disease spread. The song itself was a reminder, a "Memento Mori" (death remembrance) if you will, passed down over the centuries.

And I teach this song to your toddlers.

BTW, if I could remember what the Cockle Shells in _Mary, Mary Quite Contrary_ meant, I'd tell you about that one... but it's late and I've been up since 5:45.

Bye now!


	7. Love Will Tear Us Apart

OOOOHHH!! Update! I will warn you there's... Well, I'm not sure if it's an actual lemon or if it's just... well, if I get bitched at on FF-dot-net then I'll know I did something bad.

Thank you to my reviewers and to those of you who corrected me on my analysis of "Ring Around the Rosies." I was just going off what one of my English professors had said. He was kinda nuts, so perhaps we're both right... and perhaps we're both wrong. I'd rather we were both right, but the universe can be a bitch.

BTW, I feel weird answering individual reviews, not because I don't appreciate you or anything like that, but I'll only do it when I feel it's necessary. A lot of my reviews have been just "write more!" and there's not much I can say to that. The fact that I'm updating should be a response to that. ::hugs:: See, I do love you all! If you have a specific comment... I'll work on answering you. I might even just e-mail you. I'm just kinda leery of that because... I'm not sure why... People kinda scare the crap out of me.

I don't own Inu and I don't own any music.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Love Will Tear Us Apart**

Inuyasha paced. It had been four hours since he'd told Kagome he needed to think. She was still there, though, working on the decimated garden out front. Occasionally, his ears would turn towards the sound of her voice; she sang while she worked.

His mind was churning. The possibility that Kikyou's death had nothing to do with him had occurred to him before but had never been presented to him in such a manner; that her death might have been "business" rather than personal somehow made it all that much more tragic. Kagome's ideas were nothing new to him. He'd thought the same thing over and over again, wondering if she'd angered someone somehow. But she was little more than a research assistant, a simple peon in a sea of peons. She hadn't even been involved in a high profile project, just a simple drug test.

But Kagome had some valid points and he'd be a fool not to look into them. Somewhere in the maze of information there had to be proof that he was not a murderer, that his claws had not ended Kikyou's life. Of course, Kagome had not dismissed the idea that he'd been involved; Inuyasha had been furious at that.

_Flashback to 3 hours ago:_

"If it was business, then I couldn't have killed her." He said, eyes lighting up and a smile beginning. "Right?"

Kagome cringed. "Not necessarily, unfortunately."

"What do you mean 'not necessarily,' bitch?" he roared at her.

"All I'm saying," she replied calmly, "is that you don't remember what happened. You could have been manipulated into killing her. You were pretty doped up when they found you..."

"Hanyou are pretty drug resistant, Kagome." He shook his head. "I'd like to think that a few hits of something wouldn't send me into a psychotic killing spree."

"You want me to check the records at the hospital?"

"What?"

"They'll have a record of what exactly was in your system, if they could identify it. Sango said there were some unidentified compounds in your bloodstream when you were found."

"Sango? You talked to Sango about this!" Inuyasha growled at her. "Why the hell would you talk to her about it?"

"She's a police officer, Inuyasha. It's not like she's going to jeopardize justice by lynching you or something." Kagome rolled her eyes. "She was part of the initial investigation! I asked her what she knew about you and lead her to tell me about when you two were found."

"And what did she say?" he asked suspiciously.

"That she's not surprised you don't remember anything because you were so drugged you were literally incoherent."

"You told her I couldn't remember!" He dug his claws into his palms. _So she betrayed me as well._ "You bitch! I was trusting you!"

Kagome's eyes had flashed fire at that. "And you can continue to do so! I made her promise not to tell anyone, Inuyasha. She keeps her word. I am trying to help you! The more I know the more I can help." She stood and walked over to him. "I will not betray you." He blinked at her and glared into her eyes. He saw no fear and no deceit. Her scent was clean of both as well.

"Feh." He looked away from her. "Fine, bitch. So what else."

Kagome bit her lip. "I do have a few questions."

"Shoot." He sat back on the stool and waved her away. She went back to her plate but only to pick it up and take it to the sink.

"Was Kikyou's missing notebook personal or work related?"

"Work related. I think. There were actually three specific ones that I noticed were missing. She wrote in them when she was working on formulae and when she was just sitting around." He snorted. "Of course, I'd be willing to bet she did formulae in her sleep."

"She was quite talented," Kagome said quietly. "Her ability to meld her magic into mathematics and to create with the two was unique. Very few miko can use an algebraic formula to harmonize elements. And fewer still can use that harmonization to blend the elements together."

"I know."

"I think she saw something she wasn't supposed to and someone knew about it."

Inuyasha hung his head. "She might have."

"Inuyasha... we'll find out what happened." Kagome walked close to him again, her hand outstretched to comfort him. When her hand touched his shoulder he flinched but she didn't move. God, it felt so right to have her touch him. He wanted to lean into the touch, to have her stroke his shoulders and soothe the tension away. For a moment he almost gave into the desire to wrap his arms around her and bury his face between her breasts, to feel her small gentle hands smoothing his hair and petting his ears. Her scent and her heartbeat would calm him.

But he instead looked up into her eyes, put his clawed and callused hand over her soft one and stood. With a sad smile he lifted her hand from his shoulder and gently put it by her side, trying not to tremble. She was affecting him and he couldn't let her. She deserved better than someone like him and he wasn't worthy of her. Not after what had happened with Kikyou. He couldn't let her get too tangled in this.

"Kagome..." He paused and closed his eyes. One clawed hand moved up to her face and hovered there. When he opened his eyes she was still staring up at him. Pulling his hand back, he backed away and hung his head, hiding his eyes from her. "I need to think, Kagome."

She sighed then and he heard her shift her feet uncomfortably. "Do you want me to clean up-"

"No. I'll do it. I just need to be alone to think." He looked at her again and smiled. "I'm not trying to chase you away, honest. You can come back later, Kagome."

"OK," she said, a bit wary. "I'll be outside."

He'd cleaned up, and then cleaned the whole kitchen. Then he'd roamed the halls of his house, his mind wandering.

Most of the doors that had been closed when the family had moved away had not been opened since. Kikyou had had little interest in making the house a home; most of her attention had been focused on her work and occasionally she'd devote some time to him. She hadn't berated him for being messy or tried to cook him a decent meal; she either stepped over the pile of clothes or books if there was a mess or ordered in if he hadn't cooked. He stopped in front of the larger doors to the library and looked in. Suddenly he was swamped with memory.

Kikyou had only opened the library to see if there was something she could use concealed in the haphazard stacks. Unfortunately, the only things she felt were of use to her were the chairs and tables that had been there for generations. She often used the room just to find a quite place to study and work. He remembered the day she'd found it she'd been excited. She had smiled and teased him. Her voice had been a dark alto and he could still almost hear its echo in the room she'd used.

"Yash, how'd you let this place get so dusty?" she'd teased. She had come over the day after discovering the room to help him clean it. They had only been dating a few months but Inuyasha was smitten. "I'm pretty sure that some of this dust has to be older than you even!"

"It wasn't dusty before we moved away," he'd replied. "I guess I kinda just forgot about this place."

"How could you? Your ancestors were tutored at these tables. Your mother learned to read in this very room, I'm sure."

Inuyasha had shrugged and shook his head, not impressed by the stacks and stacks of old books surrounding them. "So did I. It wasn't that amazing, to be honest with you."

Kikyou had scowled at him, a twinkle of humor in her grey eyes. Then she had waved her hand as if dismissing him. "You have so much family history here," she'd sighed. "You should preserve it."

"History is just that: history. The past is done and gone. It's over and there's nothing that can change it. I prefer to focus on the present and the future, to do something that will affect them. Both have much more interesting things in them." He'd smirked then and grabbed her waist. "Plus you're here in the present. Why do I need the past when all I need is here, right now?"

"Honestly, Yash!" She had smiled at him, amused. Leaning into him, she'd wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "The past is important too, you know. How you became who you are, the people who helped you get there, the events that shaped you. They're important."

"Sure, Kikyou." He had held her closer and smiled into her hair. "But the future is important too. And as long as you're in my future, I'm a happy man."

"I'll always be with you, Yash. Past, present and future." She'd kissed him then, her lips lightly brushing over his, teasing him. "I love you."

The memory faded. _She lied. She's not here. She's not a part of my future anymore,_ he thought sadly.

He felt the grief and the guilt again and sighed. Kikyou had not fully accepted him, but she had loved him, that she could not have faked. Why she had ruined everything and been with another man was beyond him. He had tried to give her everything, had been supportive of her and her career. He had done all he could for her.

And she had betrayed him.

Now she was dead and he was alone. His ears strayed to the singing voice out front. _Kagome_, he thought. Well, he wasn't quite alone. It was a strange and discomfiting feeling, this desire for a girl who was nearly the image of the woman he'd almost married. He wasn't quite sure he liked it but he knew there was no way he could act on it.

It was even stranger to realize that she wanted him as well. _If I could,_ he thought. _If there were any way I could have her, I would._ The thought startled him. Did he really want her that much? Was there that much pull? All his instincts screamed _yes_.

Given the opportunity, he realized, he would claim her.

The thought shook him. She was too innocent and too sweet. She was also intelligent, powerful and strong. He could not touch her, not until he figured out just what had happened to Kikyou, just what his sins were. And if he had killed Kikyou...

He could never claim Kagome then.

* * *

It was dark when she crawled from his bed, still naked. She could see flickers of dawn outside the window above the bed. The long window faced north, presenting her with a view of both the Pacific Ocean and the mountains to the east. Her long dark hair created a curtain around her body but she swept it aside so it streamed down her back and swung around her hips. She was unashamed of her body in his presence.

She knew he was feigning sleep and chose to play along. Standing by the side of the bed, she turned to stare at him for a moment in longing. _In this moment, _she thought,_ I am content. I am completely happy. This will not be the last moment of this bliss._ Though it had been months since they met, it had only taken one date for her to fall into his bed. Of course, all it really would have taken was for him to show any interest in her at all. He could have snapped his fingers and demanded that she pleasure him and she would have jumped at the chance.

_Yeah, it's probably best not to let him know that._ She smiled contentedly, still gazing at the partially covered form of her new lover. _He's got an ego the size of China, _she thought, chuckling inside_, stroke it anymore and it won't fit on the planet._ Reaching down, she swept a few strands of his silver hair away from his face and traced his markings. The violet-red stripes were so elegant, she felt, as was the blue crescent moon on his forehead.

"My Sesshomaru," she whispered, knowing he could hear her. Rin then turned and walked into the bathroom to shower.

Five minutes later she was just wetting her hair when she heard the door to the bathroom open. She smiled into the stream of hot water and pretended not to hear, though she could not hide her excitement. She bit her lip in anticipation. A shiver ran through her a few moments later when a clawed hand slid over the skin of her side and up her ribcage. She giggled in delight. A firmly muscled arm wrapped itself around her waist and she couldn't help but groan, the smile on her face growing wider. When she felt the heat of his body pressing against her back, she let out a full-fledged moan and a gasp. The smile disappeared.

"My Rin," he whispered in her ear, bending his head down to hers.

His lips touched her neck in an open mouthed kiss then slid down to her shoulder where he lightly scraped at her skin with his fangs. Hands slid over her body making her skin break out in goose bumps even under the stream of hot water. He traced her curves with his claws, growling as she writhed beneath his touch, her own hands skimming the skin of his arms.

Suddenly, she turned around in his arms and looked up into his eyes, challenging him. She willed him to see the love and the passion she felt reflected in her ebony eyes. For a moment, all she saw was confusion in his eyes, but it was quickly gone and then his golden eyes were ablaze with emotion.

It was highly unlikely that anyone else would ever see him this way, so controlled by his emotions. Sesshomaru Tai, the great taiyoukai of the west, eldest son of the Taisho of the inuyoukai, was known for his cold demeanor and calm presence. CEOs trembled in fear of him. Demons shrank from him. But Rin knew the truth; beneath his icy exterior lay an unquenchable fire. She was the only witness; she was the only fuel.

From the moment she had laid eyes on him she knew that he was the only man, human or demon, that she would ever love. Their meeting had been accidental, a brief run in on the street. Sesshomaru had accidentally knocked her into the way of a passing bus; had his demon reflexes not been so quick, she would have been killed. Hanging on to him for dear life, she had noticed the surprise that had passed though his eyes for a second as their souls recognized each other. Then he had let her go and was gone.

The next day she had been surprised and exhilarated to find him in her office; he was her new business consultant. She was a different type of client for him; she was younger and more willing to take risks than most. For months they had worked along side each other and Rin knew he was not oblivious to the attraction between them. The day his contract was up, he had asked her to dinner. Dinner had led her here, to this moment.

Rin smiled up into his fierce gaze and raised her lips to his. Warm and wet, his lips slanted over hers. He clutched her to him as if desperate to touch every inch of her body. Her hands roamed over his taut muscles, making his breath ragged and his hands shake with desire.

"Sessh!" She gasped as his lips took the place of his hands. Her body bore marks from their earlier lovemaking; welts from claws and scratches from fangs marred her skin. He lapped at the marks he'd made, healing them with his tongue. Even after they were healed, her skin smooth and clear, his tongue continued to caress her. He was gentler now; his need not so raw, his desire not so sharp. Rin could feel her blood reaching a fevered heat.

When she couldn't take anymore, she pushed him down. He submitted to her whims as she dragged him to the floor of the shower. She took him into her and soon both were gasping. For long moments after, neither moved, each completely spent and enjoying the warmth and love in the embrace. Rin could feel a loud rumbling, almost like a purr, in the chest beneath her cheek. She giggled and nuzzled him with her nose, a smile on her parted lips.

"Mmmmm," she mumbled lazily, "Sesshy, are you sure you're a dog demon, love? That sounded suspiciously like a purr to me."

"Keh," he snorted elegantly, "This Sesshomaru is going to ignore that very insulting remark. A purr indeed. I am no neko." Rin smirked then began nibbling on his collarbone. "You are too young and uneducated to know that some dogs will, when content, make a rumbling brux-like noise that is akin to a purr but is, technically speaking, not a purr."

"Of course, my lord Sesshomaru." She moved upwards and kissed his lips. "You are far more refined than any cat could ever be." He flexed under her slight weight, and then smoothly stood, taking her with him to stand under the still hot stream of water. "This feels so good, showering with you." Sesshomaru merely nodded. She reached for the soap and began to lather it in her hands, sniffing delicately. "Sandalwood. Is this your usual soap?"

"Yes."

"Do you mind if I use it?"

"No, I do not mind. In fact, I would be very pleased to have my scent mingled with yours." A slight smile graced his usually expressionless lips. Rin drank in the sight of him, naked and wet in the shower with her. His long silver hair was matted down, his pointed ears prominent, and she could see all of his beautiful violet-red markings. Just over his hipbones, two nearly magenta stripes curled around either side of his waist. Biting her lip, Rin gave in to her desire to touch them, her soapy hands sliding over his skin with ease.

"Rin. Give me the soap." His voice was slightly hoarse. She handed over the soap and then slid her hands over his chest, her hands still slippery and soapy. They washed each other, exploring and discovering. Rin lathered shampoo into his long hair and he did likewise with hers. When both were completely clean, and then some, Sesshomaru carried her out of the shower and they dried off. Sesshomaru dressed then gave her some of his clothes to wear.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I'm sure. I'll take you home in a few hours, after breakfast perhaps, to change and," he swallowed and then cleared his throat, "This Sesshomaru would be honored if you would spend the day with me."

"Rin would love to."

"Rin, you are a human and a very young one at that-"

"Not that young'" she interrupted. "I am twenty." She rolled her eyes at him and began to change into the clothes he'd given her. All of it was way too big, but then he was nearly a foot taller than her.

"Yes, you are twenty and compared to me you are extremely young. Rin, I am more than seven hundred years old. When you were born, I still looked exactly like this." She finished dressing and walked out of the bedroom into the hall. He followed, still speaking. "I will not appear any older for another three hundred years. My father is over fifteen hundred years old."

"Are you saying I'm not good enough because I'm not a demon woman in her fifth century?" Rin raised an eyebrow at him. She had stopped in the hallway and turned towards him. Now she was beginning to get annoyed. "That's such utter bullshit and you know it."

"Rin, I will not accept that tone from you." His voice became stern and cold for a moment. "Because you are so young and human you may not be aware of the implications of our... joining."

"Go on."

"When we first met it was instantly obvious that we were meant for each other. You are my soul mate and should you ever die, I would be lost, but I would also find you again. I will, of course, do what I can do ensure that you do not die in the first place."

"I already knew that Youkai are capable of extending the lives of their chosen mates, to a point."

"True. My father tried it only once. My own mother was a demon and died giving birth to my sister, who was stillborn. His second wife, my half-brother's mother, was with him for nearly two hundred years before she died. A cancer had invaded her body and not even his great strength could keep it from killing her. She was also his soul mate."

"Do you fear my death?" She smiled and kissed him. "I am still young, love, I have much more life ahead of me."

"Which is what I was trying to say. I should have waited for you, until you were older and more ready for a step like this."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am a patient man but you make me brash."

"I make you brash. Okay... That's a bad thing?" She turned from him and began walking down the hall again towards the stairs. "Um, can I get some breakfast before you explain that last part to me? I can't think straight on an empty stomach and you totally made me ravenous last night."

"Thank you for the compliment, my dear. Unfortunately, I cannot cook, but I'll awaken Jaken and have him fix something for you," he said, referring to his servant who practically lived at the mansion.

"Please, don't," Rin replied, her face twisting in distaste and a bit of anxiety. "He squawked at me last night when he opened the door and I have the feeling he might not like me too much. Not to mention he doesn't look like someone I'd trust to cook my food."

Sesshomaru nodded slightly. "He has some negative feelings towards humans but would never openly degrade or threaten you," he explained. "He has been with me for two and a half centuries and is unaccustomed to my keeping company with anyone. To see a human woman being served dinner at my estate must have been a shock to him. But he would never say a word against any of my guests, regardless of the species or gender. He fears me too much."

"Does Jaken cook all your meals?"

Sesshomaru's cool façade wavered for a moment. "Yes and no. I do not generally eat mortal food and I very rarely eat it cooked."

"You mean you eat raw demon meat."

"Yes. For the most part."

"What were you eating last night? That wasn't raw."

He smiled a bit and grasped her hand as they walked down the stairs. "I was trying something new."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Cooked demon meat?"

"Angus steak, rare, with lemon pepper sauce."

A grin spread across her face. "You ate people food? For me?"

"Yes, Rin. For you I would do just about anything." He smiled down at her face gently and squeezed her hand.

"You ate steak! How did you like it?"

"Honestly?" She nodded. "It was rather bland. Demon meat is very different from that of any mortal animal. There is a different texture and feel and it doesn't always stay... dead until eaten. It was quite strange that it simply lay there and waited for me to eat it. And it did not scream..."

"You know what! Let's _not_ discuss your food."

"No. I'll find something here for you to eat."

After a lengthy search of the kitchen, a lone package of ramen was found and Rin jumped on it. While she ate, Sesshomaru sat with her, mostly simply watching her.

"You had Ramen. Why?" she asked.

"My half-brother, Inuyasha, used to eat Ramen almost exclusively. He visited a few years ago, before his fiancé died. I think he was trying to mend fences before he got too serious with her." He looked off towards the windows. "We didn't get along too well. Still don't. After Kikyou died, he changed. He has not returned and honestly, I don't expect him to. We did not part well, though I did call him a few days ago to ask his advice on what human women eat."

"You're so cute. What was Kikyou's last name?"

"I'm not sure."

"Was she by any chance related to the miko Kaede of Musashi Manor in Louisiana?" Rin grinned. _Oh! If it's the same Inuyasha I think it is, this is going to be very interesting!_

"Actually, yes. She was Kaede's great-great-neice."

"Oh my god!" Rin squealed. "He is who I thought he was!"

Sesshomaru covered his ears and glared at her. "Explain."

"Three years ago my distant cousin was engaged to a hanyou and was murdered shortly before the wedding. No one is sure what happened but we knew that she loved him very much. Her name was Kikyou and her fiancé was Inuyasha!" She ginned and jumped in her seat. "I've fallen in love with the brother of the man my cousin was to marry."

"How closely related were you?"

"Oh, her grandfather was my grandfather's cousin. Our great grandmothers were sisters. Kagome, who's living with Kaede now, is more closely related; our grandfathers were brothers."

"Oh." Sesshomaru paused for a moment. "Did you just say you'd fallen in love with me?"

Rin grinned. "Yes. I was wondering if you would catch that." She stood and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you, Sesshomaru." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"Good. Because I love you. I claimed you last night."

She smiled. "I know. I felt it." She kissed the crescent moon on his forehead and then pressed her forehead to it.

"You are mine, Rin Shinuta," he whispered, then claimed her lips with his.

* * *

I was going to write more, but it's been a while since I posted and I'm kinda going through some writer's block on a certain situation. (Kagome and Inuyasha talking now) I hope no one was offended by my sesshy/rin scene. I really love that couple.

No fun facts today, other than the realization that mums (the flower) smell like vomit and are not good to walk past when you're not feeling well after eating something with sauerkraut in it and then drinking tequila. Tequila, good. Sauerkraut, BAD. Mums... ::shudders::

Read and review. **_THANK YOU!!!!_**

Oh, chapter title comes from the song "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division. Other special songs were "The Hounds of Winter" by Sting, Elvis Costello's version of the Beatle's "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "Angels Would Fall" by Melissa Ethridge and "Man in the Long Black Coat" by Bob Dylan, versions by the man himself and Joan Osborne. Also important were "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse, "Tremble," "Hold Me Down" and "Closer" by Better Than Ezra, "Beautiful Freak" by Eels, "Drive" by Incubus and "With or Without You" by U2.


	8. Formulating Denials

Look! I updated! Woohoo! It's been what? A month? Really sorry about that, honest. Life just kinda got away from me and I was so blocked! I've felt so bad because I've gotten so many great reviews and I've done next to nothing in terms of writing.

And one of my favorite authors on this site gave me a great review this morning!!! Arigato, Chri!!! I'm glad you gave my fic a try! :-D

You guys have been awesome. Please read and review and I thank you for your interest.

Chapter 8: Formulating Denials 

"A Stranger" by A Perfect Circle

Cast the calming apple  
Up and over satellites  
To draw out the timid wild one  
To convince you it's alright

And I listen for the whisper  
Of your sweet insanity while I formulate  
Denials of your affect on me  
You're a stranger  
So what do I care  
You vanish today  
Not the first time I hear  
All the lies  
  
What am I to do with all this silence

Shy away, shy away phantom  
Run away terrified child  
Won't you move away you fucking tornado  
I'm better off without you  
Tearing my will down

"Oh, my god! Sango is so going to beat the crap out of you!" Kagome giggled. It was the first thing Inuyasha heard as he silently opened the screen door behind her. He'd been listening for a while but decided to come out on the porch and watch her. Ten minutes ago he had decided to take her to Maire's for lunch to thank her for all her help. Not to mention he was actually planning on seriously talking to her about Kikyou.

Now though, she was gleefully giggling at Miroku's discomfort and he was pretty sure he'd never seen a more beautiful woman. The look on Miroku's face made her laugh even harder and the hanyou watching the scene play itself out was amused. _So, the monk is after Sango, _he thought._ She should be able to keep him in line, if she lets him anywhere near her. _Inuyasha stood and watched as Miroku rolled his eyes at Kagome and sat back against the railing of the porch.

"Very few women have ever deemed it necessary to 'beat the crap out of me,' so to speak, my dear, sweet Kagome. In truth, I am nothing if not a gentleman." Miroku smiled very smoothly and softened his gaze. Inuyasha's grip on the helmet in his hand tightened as the monk spoke. Monk or not, he was ready to hurt the man if he made a move on the miko; fortunately Kagome saw right through it.

"Sure you are. And I'm Madonna." Kagome laughed again, her smile wide. "I'm not saying you don't have a chance with Sango. What I'm saying is that in some ways, she's more than she appears and in other ways, less." Her smile turned sad and she sighed. "She's different, Miroku, and very wary. You have to approach her in a completely different manner than you would any other woman. From the little I know of you, I can tell that you are accustomed to women really wanting to be with you and enjoying your company."

"You don't feel Sango would enjoy my company?" He thought for a moment. "Are you saying Sango doesn't like men?" Miroku's eyebrow went up and he smirked. "Really now, Kagome, you didn't need to beat around the bush, unless it's Sango's, in which case..."

"Pervert." Kagome glared at him. "Sango likes men. She just has trust issues."

"Specifically regarding?"

"Specifically regarding none of your business! She'll tell you when she feels like it, if she feels like it." She looked at him sharply. "Listen, Sango is one of my best and closest friends and while you seem like a decent guy beneath all the con-man bullshit, I don't really know you all that well. I have decent instincts, but not nearly as good as my Aunt's. If Kaede sees nothing wrong with you, you can meet Sango. If not, find your own way."

Miroku seemed to pause a moment and then nodded. "That seems reasonable. If Kaede is truly as great a priestess as she is rumored to be, her word is infallible."

"I sure as hell hope so," Inuyasha interrupted. He turned his eyes to Kagome and nodded at her. "Come on, I'm taking you to lunch."

Kagome raised her eyebrow. "Don't you mean, 'would you like to have lunch with me?'"

"No, bitch," he snarled, a little startled at her response. "I mean I'm taking you to lunch, go get on my bike, now." He growled for effect but Kagome ignored it. She stood up and stomped up the stairs to where he stood. Even after working in his garden for four hours, she was still beautiful. Her white shorts were still clean and her green tank was hardly even wrinkled.

When she stood less than a foot from him she stopped and glared into his eyes, which was difficult, he was about half a foot taller than her. He could feel their energies crackling against each other. Never before had he experienced anything like this and it was... exciting. He could smell the agitation on her skin, feel that she was ready to challenge him, even slap him, if she felt it was necessary. Part of him wanted to see if he could push her that far.

"Repeat that," she whispered. Her eye twitched. "Politely."

He gave in and calmed his features. "I'm buying you lunch because you fixed up my yard a bit," he said in an even voice. "Get on the bike and I'll drive you there."

"Um-" She chewed her lip as if unsure. While he hadn't retracted the offensive words, he hadn't snarled at her either and he hoped that the intent behind the words reached her. He'd never been a polite type of guy and Kagome made him a very nervous man. She looked at him doubtfully.

"Please?" All that got him was a raised eyebrow and a blink. "Not polite enough for you? Too bad, that's as polite as it gets. No 'ums,' sweetheart, get going! Bike's right there." He swung the helmet he'd brought out for her towards the bike then handed it to her. "I'll take the helmet on the bike, you can use this one."

"Inuyasha," Miroku interrupted, "though your intentions do seem to be actually decent for once, that was still quite rude of you."

"Shove it and stay out of my business, Miroku. Kagome and I need to talk." Kagome gnawed at her lip and his eyes on her softened. "It's about that file you were telling me about and about your questions." _I'm actually going to talk to her about Kikyou. Whatever powers are out there give me strength, cause this is going to be very, very weird._

"OK." She took the helmet from him and turned to Miroku. "I'll get your number from Inuyasha and call you later about meeting with Kaede sometime this week, ok Miroku?" She smiled and put out her hand for him to shake. When he took it, Inuyasha felt like growling but refrained. "It was nice to get to talk to you."

"It was an honor, my lady, truly." He bowed to her, her hand still in his and then whispered, "Are you sure you'll be ok with him? He seems... agitated."

Inuyasha's preternaturally good hearing alerted him to the monk's suspicions. "Shut the fuck up, monk," he growled. "She's perfectly safe with me." He bristled at the implications and glared at Miroku. _She is safe with me, isn't she?_ He asked himself. The question brought forth images of Kikyou's blood on his hands. When the image of Kagome replaced Kikyou, dead and broken in his arms, he shook himself. _No. Not Kagome. It will not happen again._ _She's safe enough for now._

He grabbed Kagome's hand and led her down the steps.

* * *

"So how did you like the ride?"

Kagome panted. She had never gone so fast in her entire life. Shakily she removed the helmet from her head and shook her hair out.

"Oh. My. God."

Inuyasha laughed. "I take it that was a new experience for you?"

"Uh, yeah. Never done that before." Kagome blushed. The ride had been part exhilarating and part terrifying. But now her legs felt like jelly and she was breathing like she'd run a marathon. Not once during the ride had she let go of Inuyasha's waist. She'd kept her eyes closed the whole way to avoid motion sickness.

She could feel hear heart racing and could almost feel the burn of adrenaline running through her veins. Not all of it was from the speed. Still, flying over the road at fifty miles an hour while clutching the torso of a very well build man... _God, Kagome, stop this!_ She ran a hand through her hair to steady herself again. _You're gonna send all kinds of signals his way and he's really not interested! He's going to get annoyed and god knows you don't want that! Just stop_. She took a deep calming breath and hoped he didn't notice the difference in her scent.

"So where are we?" she asked, realizing she wasn't at all familiar with where they'd stopped. It could have been an old house, but there was obviously a parking lot in front. A set of steps led up to a wide front porch. Several rocking chairs sat empty there and a ramp with worn looking treads wound up the left side. The paint on the shutters and clapboard siding was faded and a weather-beaten sign over the door read "Maire's Parlor." Kagome looked at the place doubtfully. "Is this a restaurant?"

"Sort of." Inuyasha smirked. "Maire's an old family friend. My parents actually met through her."

"And she owns this restaurant?"

Inuyasha shook his head and laughed. "She owns this property and in some ways it is a restaurant; people do pay for the what they get here. But Maire sees this place as a calling. She serves meals and drinks, yes, and actually does a brisk business with Youkai and human patrons alike."

"Youkai?" Kagome frowned. "Meaning that she often serves things that are a little more suited to non-human tastes? Like raw meat and lesser demon flesh?"

Inuyasha nodded and lead her up the steps. "Pretty much. This is my half-brother's favorite restaurant. I'm not sure why he called me instead of Maire to ask what human women ate."

"Your brother called to ask you what humans eat?" Kagome was a bit confused. "That's kind of... odd."

"Half-brother. You have no idea," Inuyasha laughed. They stood in front of the door but neither made any move to go in. "He asked specifically if human females ate raw demon meat. Considering that he hates humans almost as much as Kikyou hated youkai, I'm pretty sure that he's never shared a dinner with any human before, much less a human _woman_. Or if he had, he didn't pay any attention to what they ate."

"You're kidding." Kagome grinned. "You eat human food. Did he not know what you ate?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "He's eaten with me before, but I'm not too picky about what I eat. I can eat raw youkai meat as well as the cooked meats humans eat. And actually, he only really ate with me while I was going through my 'Ramen' phase and had to have it as a part of every meal, so any ideas that would have given him would be skewed."

"Ramen as in the noodles?" Inuyasha nodded and Kagome giggled. "I can imagine he would have been utterly disgusted with that. Are you going to be eating raw youkai meat today?"

"Probably not," he replied nonchalantly. "I don't eat it very often. I have a craving every now and then, but otherwise it tastes strange to me. Probably my human genes ruling my taste buds and my stomach. Honestly, I haven't had a craving for it for months. My father and I shared a pig youkai the night before I left Canada and I haven't had any since. Dad doesn't eat it all that much either. Of course, when you come to Maire's, you never know." Kagome frowned, a bit disconcerted.

She'd never witnessed the more cannibalistic side of youkai before, she had always been rather uncomfortable with the thought of one youkai eating another. Of course she knew that many, both human and youkai alike, felt it was similar to a human eating a chicken or a cow; the demons that were eaten were _not_ sentient and usually resembled the animals humans ate. Still, it bothered Kagome a bit. Not enough to turn her away from the hanyou standing before her but enough to make her feel... strange. She wanted to change the subject as the one she'd brought up was now making her considerably uncomfortable and Inuyasha was beginning to look a bit concerned. _He can probably smell my discomfort. Damn, I'm so having trouble getting used to this. Kouga was canine but either he didn't care that I was disturbed by some of the things he did or he couldn't smell it. He probably didn't care. All that wolf was interested in was what was in my pants. Bastard._ She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"So what made Sesshomaru call to ask that, do you know?" she asked cheerfully.

"I shudder to think," Inuyasha replied.

"Why, he met a pretty little human girl, of course. And he did end up calling me about an hour after he called you." The voice from the doorway startled them both. The woman who stood there was nearly six feet tall and obviously well into her senior years. Her faded red hair was tied up with a purple ribbon, which matched her pale violet gypsy dress. Red polished nails tipped her slender hands, which rested on her hips. Her grinning mouth was painted as red as her nails and was only slightly askew. A scarf of gold and crimson was tied around her waist, showing clearly that age had not added much girth to her frame. Only her slightly pointed ears hinted that she wasn't entirely human. Inuyasha took up a defensive pose before realizing it was just old Maire.

"Fucking hell, Maire, you scared me," he laughed.

"Not hard to do, Puppy," she laughed. "You talked to Sesshomaru yet? I gave him my recipe for Angus steak. Hope the girl liked it."

"Batty old dame. No, I haven't talked to Sessh. You know he and I are at odds." Inuyasha frowned. "You got room for two customers?"

"'Course I do, Yash," she laughed. "And by the way, if you had been listening and not staring at that pretty little thing there like a dog after a bone, you would have heard me open the damn door, puppy."

"Maire, 'a dog after a bone?' Isn't that the most cliché line in the book when it comes to inuyoukai? And you know I hate it when you call me 'puppy,' you old witch." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"If you didn't act like a bad puppy, I wouldn't treat you like one," she admonished, smirking. "Your father didn't like that line either, but he was wise enough to shut up and take it like a man."

"Maire..." Inuyasha warned. She ignored him.

"What? Yash, honey, you're still a pup and you know it. Even that cold-eyed Sesshomaru is still a pup compared to me," she laughed then grinned in glee. "And he's met a human girl! _Oh!_ That just takes the cake. Part of me hopes she's a beach bunny with long blond hair and a surfer's tan. He needs some loosening up. What do you want to bet she's his one?" The old woman let out a loud laugh. "I say that any day now he stops in on your father's estate and shows her around. Now, who's _this_ pretty thing?" she queried as she narrowed her eyes on Kagome.

Inuyasha sighed and turned to Kagome with an apologetic look on his face. "This is Kagome Higurashi, Maire. She's a great-great-grand niece of Kaede over at Musashi Manor. I'm paying her back for working in my garden by buying her lunch."

Maire nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Thought she looked familiar. Looks like Kaede did at that age; pretty, but not too stunning. Also looks like that other one you brought here, too. That Kikyou girl." Maire scowled. "I didn't like that one, Yash. She looked down on anything not human."

All of a sudden it hit Kagome just what was standing less than five feet in front of her. "You're Fae!" Kagome blurted out, then turned red. _Oh no! I didn't just say that out loud did I?_ Maire laughed. _Oh god, I did!_ Kagome politely bowed to the woman before her. "Forgive me for being rude, Ma'am. I've never met any Fae before."

"And now that you have?" Maire raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Kagome chewed her lip. "Would you think me incredibly rude if I asked if you knew any earth magics? And if any of them are exclusively Fae?"

"Ah," Maire sighed, "an earth Miko. I thought your aura was different."

"Actually, I'm a healer of plants and life forces," Kagome corrected.

Both of Maire's eyebrows went up and she nodded very solemnly. "A very special type of Miko indeed. I'm sorry child, but I really know nothing of earth magic." Maire smiled and put her hand out to Kagome who took it with a bit of caution. "I am Maire Holly of the Ruine Clan. I welcome you to my home and my kitchen, Kagome. Come, I'll fix your favorite."

She backed up and started into the house then turned to scrutinize Kagome for a moment. "I'm thinking... a turkey club sandwich with no tomato and extra lettuce? Glass of chai and... hmmm... for dessert..." The old woman tilted her head to the side. "Oh! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies!" She grinned and walked back into the house, humming.

"Um. OK." Kagome looked at Inuyasha and shrugged. She was a bit confused. That wasn't her favorite lunch, but it was what she'd been craving for a few days now. The hanyou smiled at her, his grin more genuine at that moment than she'd ever seen it. She almost couldn't move for a moment, so stunned was she by the change it brought over his face.

He looked young, very young; hardly older than she and so handsome her breath caught in her throat. When he grabbed her wrist to pull her into the house, she didn't protest. Instead she simply stared at him, an ache settling in her heart.

_OK,_ she thought, _I was wrong. I'm not interested in just his body. When he smiled just there, it took some of the pain in his eyes away and... I want to make him smile like that. I want to see that smile every day. Damn._ As she walked through the darkened doorway into the house, a heavy sadness draped over her. She slipped her hand into his and tried not to think.

_I don't want to love him._

* * *

He could smell sadness and discomfort in her scent. She smiled and laughed but he could see the sorrow in her eyes. What had he done? What had happened? He knew that the idea of him eating Youkai bothered her but the sadness was something else altogether. _What's wrong, Kagome?_ He was disturbed to find that he wanted nothing more than to hurt whatever had put the sadness in her scent.

He followed Maire to the brown dining room, which was the most private and secure. A smile briefly touched his lips; Maire understood him. The hand he held in his trembled and the smile disappeared.

"Inuyasha rarely wants something fancy; today all he gets is Ramen and veggies." Maire turned back to the hanyou. "You're not eating enough greens, puppy. You're going to make yourself sick."

"Bite me," he replied

"No thanks. Dog is bad for digestion." They continued on until she opened a dark wooden door and lead them into a dimly lit room. "Sit anywhere you're comfortable. I'll be back in a bit. There's water and ice on the sideboard, just help yourself."

When Kagome released his hand, he didn't want to let go. He gripped her hand for a moment, squeezing it tightly, then let go and walked away. The room was set as it had been the last time he'd visited. Dark brown wallpaper covered the windowless walls and the hardwood floor gleamed duly in the dim light of the candles in the wall sconces. Tasteful dark wood furnishings surrounded them; on the opposite wall stood a small table set for two and between themselves and that table was another larger one. To the left was a massive sideboard decked with trays and candelabras; the aforementioned water and ice rested in a glass carafe that stood next to some simple cups.

"Wow," Kagome breathed as she walked over to the velvet duvet on the right side of the room.

"I know." Inuyasha glanced around, trying on to look at the girl. "Maire likes to put on a show sometimes, especially for first time guests."

"This furniture is all antique." She appeared to be in awe of her surroundings but he was more than aware that the sadness had not left her scent. He was beginning to get annoyed but couldn't come up with a legitimate excuse to question her. _She's not your mate, kid. Even if she was, she's allowed to have her own feelings._ Of course his rational mind was only a whisper and he was beginning to notice a snarl in his voice.

"Of course it is," he barked. "Maire is as old as my father. I'd expect that she has even older pieces stashed away somewhere. Most youkai and fae do, mainly so they can sell it after a few hundred years. Humans love antiques."

"I suppose," she replied, refusing to look at him.

"Anyway, Maire will bring some food in a bit. Drink some water in the meantime. I don't need you getting all dehydrated on me, bitch." Inwardly he winced at his tone and words. _You fuck-up_, he thought. "God damn it," he bit out. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it the way that sounded."

"The bitch thing I'm starting to be not so offended by. You're a dog hanyou; a female dog is a bitch." She shrugged and turned to look at one of the paintings. "But you're getting bossy with me and have no right to be so."

"I know. I was brought up to behave better than this but..." He trailed off, looking down at his feet. "You're confusing to me and the whole situation is just..."

"Weird," Kagome finished for him.

"Why do you smell so sad, Kagome? Did I do something? If it's about the youkai meat-" His eyes plead with her.

"No, nothing like that." She frowned and looked at her hands tangled on her lap. "It's just- Because the situation is weird. I can't say more than that, Inuyasha. I'm sorry."

"I guess I'll just have to accept that." He sighed and turned to pour two glasses of water for them then sat at the smaller table with the glasses. "Will you sit with me?"

Kagome smiled, but he could still smell a touch of sadness in her. "Sure," she whispered.

A few moments later Maire returned with the promised food and both began to eat in silence. Although he'd picked this place specifically to talk about Kikyou, he was now becoming reluctant to bring her up. He searched his mind for something, anything else to say but Kagome beat him to the silence breaking words.

"You know, this isn't my favorite lunch, but I sure have been craving a club sandwich lately, not to mention a chai latte." She took another bite and waited a moment before continuing. "And it tastes just how I like it, you know? Just how I'd make it myself."

"That's Maire's gift," Inuyasha told her as he picked up a piece of carrot with his chopsticks. "She knows what people crave and need to eat. She understands moderation and nutrition and even follows the rules as much as possible. Still, her main business is giving her client what they want and need."

"How does she know?" Kagome asked, very curious.

"I'm not sure."

"Huh. She said you brought Kikyou here? What did you eat then?"

_Fuck, here goes, questions about Kikyou._ Inuyasha groaned inwardly. _If I just answer and get it over with, it won't be so bad, I'm sure._

"Well..." he started, "I had a steak, very rare with rice and asparagus, a beer to drink and chocolate mousse for dessert. Kikyou-" He paused and made a face. "Maire couldn't get a read on Kikyou so brought what Kikyou ordered, which was Chicken Kiev and potatoes. Kikyou didn't enjoy the experience much and we never came back."

"That's weird."

"Yeah. Apparently, Kikyou was the first person Maire couldn't figure out and it really annoyed her. She swore up and down that the girl had a shield spell up ad was actually a dark sorceress." Inuyasha shook his head. "She even called my mother and demanded that Mom forbid me from seeing Kikyou."

"But you're an adult! You mother couldn't do that."

"Actually," he confessed, "as an inuhanyou, I am forced to submit to 'alpha' rule. My mother is- was the alpha female and so had domain over me."

"What did she say?"

"That I could see whomever I wanted."

"That's good."

"Yeah." Inuyasha looked down at what was left of his ramen. "Kikyou and I met in town. I ran into her in the supermarket, literally. I knocked her down as well as several cans of soup. I was mortified but Kikyou laughed and told me not to worry about it. My ears were under a hat at that point so she didn't know I was hanyou.

"About a week later I ran into her again on the street, but this time didn't knock her down. We were both entering the same coffee shop and we decided to sit together. I eventually confessed to being hanyou and it didn't seem to phase her too much but she looked a bit disappointed. A few days later, I went to visit Kaede and saw her there. We talked a bit more and things seemed to be going well. I asked her to go to dinner with me and she accepted. It took a month for me to work up to kissing her." Inuyasha laughed. "Never took me that long before. I hadn't had too many other girlfriends but she was the first girl I really had trouble getting close to. And she was always so busy. Work came before anything. I ended up taking care of Kaede a lot because Kikyou couldn't.

"I ended up taking care of Kikyou, too. She would forget to eat or forget to go to sleep. After six months of dating things started to get more serious. I told her that I loved her and she... She told me that she loved me. She said that she didn't want to love me, because I was hanyou, but she couldn't help it. I held her for a long time while she cried that night and.. she stayed the night." Inuyasha blushed, unsure of how to continue. Just how the hell did you tell your former fiancé's cousin that you'd taken said fiancé's virginity? Especially when you were interested in taking that cousin's if you could?

"She told me," Kagome said softly, "that you were her first lover. That you had ruined her for other men." Inuyasha winced.

"I was her first, that night in fact," he replied hoarsely, "but I sincerely doubt I ruined her for other men. After all, she betrayed me."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's ok. Really." He took a deep breath. "Things were going well, we were happy. She started cleaning my library so she could work in it. I brought her lunch at the university a few times but soon figured out that the scent of the chemicals from the lab really got to me. Soon after she started taking a shower at the university gym before coming home." Inuyasha laughed sadly. "She'd forget to eat and sleep but never forgot to bathe. After a year had passed, I decided that I wanted to be with her forever and I proposed.

"The night was ill fated from the beginning. She came home from work annoyed with her research professor and anxious about something. Nothing I did could get her to calm down and nothing could dissuade me from asking her that night. When I asked, we were in the library and she was just barely paying attention. After the words left my mouth though, I had her full attention.

"At first she just stared at me, shock and horror written on her face. Something in me cracked and I closed the ring box and threw towards her. It landed on her open book. She stared at it a moment and them picked the box up, opened it and put the ring on. She shook and was silent. At the time, I wasn't sure if she'd accepted because she loved me or because she was afraid of me. I'd never done anything to harm her. She wore perfume and I could never smell her emotions properly. I think she did it on purpose.

"Anyway, for a few days neither of us spoke. She didn't come over to my house and I avoided her. But she still had my ring. After three says of silence, she rang my doorbell and told me we needed to talk. I was my usual asshole self and snarled at her, but let her in.

"She told me that when I'd asked her, I'd startled her. She was still young and she'd never even thought about marriage before. The ring she'd accepted because she didn't want me to think she was rejecting me flat out. She had planned to return the ring if she decided she didn't want to marry me. I asked her if she'd come to return it and she said that she wasn't sure. I know I was an asshole to her that night. But I was scared and hurt and was protecting myself the only way I knew how, but trying to push her away." Inuyasha sighed again and picked at the dregs of his ramen. There wasn't much left.

"She talked about her intense dislike of youkai that night, never explaining why, saying the why wasn't important. What was important was that she learned to change. She said she'd been taking advantage of me, taking me for granted because I was so stable and loving. We talked all night. Near dawn she admitted that she couldn't see living her life without me and that was the main reason she'd come. She loved me and needed me. But she still didn't love me as I was.

"She started planning a wedding. All of her family was invited and all of my human family. We had huge fights over inviting my youkai relatives. Finally I got her to agree to my father and my half-brother but no more.

"Things were going well. It was five weeks to the wedding and Kikyou had moved into the house with me. I wanted to surprise her so I went to pick her up from work. I went into her office but it was empty. It shouldn't have been empty. She had office hours. She had students waiting to see her. I thought she might be in the lab again, that she'd gotten caught up and forgotten the time. But then she walked in.

"She reeked of sex. Another man's scent was completely covering her, from her head to her toes." Inuyasha closed his eyes and sat back trying to keep the emotions from tearing him apart. He'd never told anyone exactly what had happened that day and night. "The smell was... terrible. My youkai blood was straining for release and I could feel my eyes going red with rage. The worst part was that there was no scent of fear or sorrow or really any emotions. She hadn't been raped or coerced. She'd just had a good fuck."

He heard Kagome swallow thickly. "There was nothing?" Her voice was sad and shocked.

"Nothing to suggest it was anything other than consensual. I growled at her and took her home. I made a scene: I yelled at her as I dragged her to the car. When we got home, we fought some more. I can barely remember the fight, but I have nightmares about it. I do remember digging my claws into her arms, growling and then throwing her down. I remember dragging her by her upper arms as her feet flailed under her and throwing her out the door, screaming that I never wanted to see her again. I remember tearing my dojo to shreds after kicking her out and then collapsing.

"Then there's nothing more until I woke up in the hospital, the smell of her blood on my hands."

"But by then it had been five days since she died." Kagome furrowed her brow and shook her head. "The blood would have, should have been washed away. The hospital wouldn't have left her blood on your hands."

"I can still smell it sometimes." He looked at his hands in a blank sort of way, fighting the despair and pain that was roiling in his gut. "I know, logically, it's not there, but I still smell it."

"Inuyasha-"

"Don't," he barked harshly, "Don't come near me and don't touch me. I can't deal with your pity." _And if she touches me I'll break._ A fine trembling began in his hands. _I'll break and then I'll try to take her. The youkai is so close, just thinking about that night brought all of it back._ He struggled in silence, his eyes closed and his hands clenched.

Suddenly he felt a warmth on his skin all over his body. It was as if a soothing light was passing over him and working its way into his very soul. He relaxed into it, ignoring the voice the told him to be wary. With every passing second, he felt the pain lessening. It was still there, but it was less... intense.

When the feeling stopped, he opened his eyes to see Kagome about to slump over in her chair. Immediately he ran to her side and checked her pulse and breathing. Holding her in his arms he relaxed slightly as her body seemed to still be functioning. _Well, she's still breathing and her heart's still beating, I wonder..._ That was as far as the thought went before she opened her eyes and looked at him. Her normally warm brown eyes had taken on a blue cast and suddenly he noticed that her miko energy was humming and buzzing around him.

_She healed me_, he thought with no little wonder. _But at what cost to herself. Kagome, you idiot._

"Kagome?" he rasped. Her eyes were open, but just barely. He wasn't sure if she was even conscious.

"Mmmm," was all she replied as she snuggled into his chest.

At that moment the door burst open and Maire ran in, a panicked expression on her face.

"What the fuck happened in here?" she screamed at him.

"You know, I'm not quite sure myself," he replied.

* * *

Sorry Inuyasha seems abit out of character in that last part... but things are getting confusing for him. So Kagome's falling for our "hero" and he's trying to hide/deny that he feels anything for her. How typical. But seriously, things aren't going to stay this way, I swear to you. This is getting boring. We need some action. Next chapter, I promise, ACTION!

No fun facts. I've been busy and had writer's block. I did decide on 2 Halloween costumes. For work, Emily Elisabeth from Clifford the Big Red Dog and for whatever party we decide to go to: a geisha. :-D My fiancé is going to be Hell Boy. We were thinking Chewbacca, but figured it was just too hot and furry for work.

And if you were at all offended by the rambling about eating youkai meat... I'm really sorry and I'm not quite sure where the hell it came from.

Special songs: "A Letter To Elise" and "Lovesong" by The Cure, "I Do Not Want This", "Ruiner", "La Mer" and "Even Deeper" by Nine Inch Nails, "The Killer Inside" by BTE, "Elsewhere" by Sarah McLachlan, "Fair Weather" and "Joyful Girl" by Ani DiFranco, "Judith(danny lohner remix)", "Orestes" and "A Stranger" by A Perfect Circle, as well as U2's version of "All Along the Watchtower" and "Mysterious Ways."


	9. My Stupid Mouth

Update! Frigging finally! And at then end of the fic I will be recommending a few fics and Authors that I just love!

And no, I do not own dog-boy. I don't even own a dog! Well, I own the _ashes_ of a _former_ dog. And there's a dead Hedgehog in my freezer. I'm pretty sure that doesn't count for anything though.

I didn't give up, but an e-mail from a reader reminded me that I should be working on it…

Chapter 9: My Stupid Mouth

"_I'm never speaking up again_

_It only hurts me…"_

_John Mayer_

Darkness was the first thing Kagome noticed when she began to regain consciousness. She remembered talking to Inuyasha about Kikyou and then healing him when his emotional pain became too much for him to bare. And then there was darkness. For a moment she wondered why it was dark then she realized she hadn't opened her eyes yet.

_Idiot_, she berated herself. _You wasted all that power healing him when you could have just let him be_. She pictured the pain he'd been in when he'd finished his tale and changed her mind. _No, I couldn't let him stay that way, not when I could help. It was worth the power used._

"Kagome?" A voice pulled her closer to the surface. "Kagome, can you hear me?" She tried to speak but all that came from her mouth was a weak groan. A hand grabbed hers and squeezed. "I think she's coming around. Kagome, if you can hear me squeeze my hand twice." It took a massive amount of effort but she was able to squeeze the clawed hand holding hers twice. _Inuyasha_, she thought.

She struggled to open her eyes and realized she was not lying down but instead being held by strong arms. When her eyes finally opened all the way, she was staring into a pair of very worried golden ones.

"Inu…yasha," she whispered hoarsely. She took a deep breath and blinked a few times, trying to get the room into focus. Never before had she used that much energy. _And never again will I ever attempt to do so! Oh, gods, this is so painful!_

"You scared the hell out of us, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered. "You've been out for about an hour and your aura is looking weak. I want to take you back to Kaede but I'm worried about taking you on the bike."

"Don't," she rasped. "I can hold on tight."

"And if you pass out again?" Inuyasha shook his head. "We're not going to leave yet, we'll wait another hour, but if I don't see significant improvement in that hour, I'm calling a cab."

"Tea," she whispered. _I need caffeine._ She could feel her body crying out for the drug. _Chocolate might work too, but I want tea_, she thought.

"She needs more than just tea," another voice announced. Maire walked into Kagome's line of vision. "That drained her nearly empty. She needs caffeine, quickly, that I know from experience. But she also needs something with substance, maybe some bread. I've got some ginger candies in the kitchen; it'll help with the nausea."

"But I'm not-" All of a sudden, Kagome felt the room begin to spin and had a strong desire to empty her stomach. She groaned.

"There, just hit you, didn't it?" Kagome nodded at the older woman and closed her eyes. It didn't help much. She felt the Fae presence leave the room and concentrated on keeping her eyes closed and her food in her stomach.

"You are not going to puke on my leather pants, little girl," Inuyasha growled. Kagome stuck her middle finger up at him. "I'll take you into the bathroom. You can puke there." More gently than she'd thought him capable of, Inuyasha picked her up and carried her, bridal style, into the hall. "Maire, where the fuck is your bathroom?"

"Up the stairs, down the blue hall and to the left," she shouted back.

When the two were situated in front of the toilet, Kagome seated sideways in Inuyasha's lap, both let out a sigh of relief.

"What happened to me?" she asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," he replied. "You passed out."

"Yeah, I think I mighta used too much power."

"That much is obvious," he snorted. "What the fuck were you thinking, Kagome? Why would you _do_ something like that? It was a waste of power and it put you in danger."

"You were in pain; I had to do what I could," she whispered.

"The pain will come back," he growled. "It will always come back. And it's not like it's never been that fierce before either. The last three years of my life have been like that and worse." Inuyasha shook his head and sighed. "You wasted your power. It was very nice of you to want to help me; I appreciate the gesture _and_ the sentiment behind it but it was foolish."

Kagome turned to stare at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Feh." One hand squeezed her arm. "Apology accepted, wench. You still acted like a fool though."

"Specifically like a poorly trained fool, which I would really _not_ have expected from a relative of Kaede's," said a voice at the door. Both looked up to see Maire standing in the doorway with a tray. "How long have you been living there?"

Kagome did a brief calculation in her head. "About thirteen months."

"Were you trained at all before you came?"

"No," Kagome shook her head. "I wanted to; both Kikyou and Kaede encouraged me to find some way to train, but Mama didn't really want me to be a miko. She didn't fell it was a safe profession."

Maire sighed and shook her head, kneeling and putting the tray on the floor between them. Kagome could now see the small pot of tea and a plate of ginger cookies the old Fae had brought for her. "It's not always, but it's more of a calling than a profession. I suspected you were untrained but not how untrained you might be. Gods, how Kaede could let someone with as much power as you stay so untrained is beyond me."

"What do you mean as 'someone with as much power as me?' I'm not _that_ powerful." Kagome was confused. "Kikyou was the one with the massive amounts of power; I've never been able to do the things she could." Maire snorted.

"That girl had power, but it wasn't totally internal." The old woman made a face. "She used something to amplify it."

"Kikyou pushed herself," Inuyasha interrupted, "She admitted to me that she had purposefully awakened her powers at an early age so that she could learn to use them more quickly." He glanced at Kagome quickly. "And honestly, for all her training, she never had as much power as I feel in you."

Kagome blinked at him. "You've got to be kidding me." When he shook his head she looked up at Maire, angrily. "So now I'm some sort of freak with massive amounts of power?"

Maire laughed. "No! Certainly not! You're just an untrained Miko from a powerful line." The old Fae put her hand on the girl's head and smoothed her hair back. "I will be having a little talk with Kaede, but you don't need to worry about that. Drink your tea, child. It's black oolong and ginger with just a hint of honey; it'll counteract the affects of the drainage. And the cookies will help you feel better, I promise."

"But-"

"No 'buts,' Kagome," she admonished as she stood. "Inuyasha, make sure she drinks the tea." In a swirl of purple, she turned and left the two.

Inuyasha smiled at the girl in his lap reassuringly. "She can be like that," he said. "She sees it as her calling to take care of every creature that passes her door, with or without their permission. She'll be calling Kaede now." Kagome sniffed at the tea. "It's not poisoned. Just drink it."

"I never said it was." She took another sniff and then a small sip. Warmth seemed to seep into her body. _Just what I needed_, she thought. The churning in her stomach lessened as she drank and the tightness in her shoulders that she'd barely registered eased. She felt a whisper of magic and had to stop herself from smirking. _Oolong and ginger my ass_, she thought. _I distinctly taste mint and comfrey as well not to mention lavender and chamomile. But if she thinks I need a spell to get over this, far be it from me to stop her._ At her temples, the headache that had been threatening subsided.

"Feeling better?" Inuyasha's voice close to her ear interrupted her thoughts. Suddenly she realized just where she was sitting. It took a supreme effort for her to stifle the blush she felt rising and look into his eyes.

"Yeah." She swallowed, throat suddenly feeling dry. "Can we get back soon? I'm sure Kaede is getting worried about me."

"Maire is calling her, it'll be ok." The hanyou shrugged and leaned back as if she weren't even there. Kagome swallowed the rest of the tea and moved to get up out of his lap but was stopped by two large hands on her waist. She looked at him quizzically.

"Let me help," was all he said. Within moments she was on her feet staring at a wall of masculine chest. "Your aura looks more steady and your heart rate seems to be ok," he said looking her up and down. "You still feel sick?" She shook her head, still a bit dazed. "Are you dizzy at all?"

"No, I'm fine," she said, trying not to stare into his eyes.

"Sure you don't want a cookie?" He grabbed one and waved it under her nose. It smelled delicious. "Mmmm. Yummy ginger snaps…" Kagome giggled and snatched the cookie from his hand.

"I'd never turn down free cookies," she said.

He was going faster than he should, he knew.

After the strange experience at Maire's, he was eager to get Kagome back home and himself back to his "manor" to brood. He hadn't really been paying much attention to his speed. But with all the twists and turns the forest road made, it wasn't safe to be tearing along at seventy-five miles an hour, especially with a passenger. One patch of wet road and he and Kagome would go flying headlong into the swamp. He'd be fine, he healed quickly and was pretty hard to hurt in the first place. But Kagome's body was soft, her bones broke more easily than his and her flesh tore much more readily.

The thought of her mangled body lying in the swamp shook him. If the crash were bad enough, if he were hurt, she could easily die before he could even call for help. The idea sobered him and he started slowing down. Every few moments he checked the speedometer. Seventy. Sixty-five. Sixty. When he looked up again there was a tree lying across the road ahead and a man with a very big tire iron standing on top of the tree. Even from a few hundred feet off, he could see the grin cross the man's dark features. He wasn't going to be able to stop in time.

When he felt her arms tighten their grip around his waist, he knew Kagome had seen the threat as well. He didn't have time to reassure her; he barely had time to think. Grabbing the break and turning hard to the left, he skidded sideways into the trunk of the tree, trying to avoid an outright crash. The back wheel hit wood hard, jarring them both. Inuyasha could smell Kagome's blood; the bark of the downed tree had scraped skin off her right thigh.

Before the two of them could get their bearings the man with the tire iron attacked. Kagome just barely dodged the first swing, which was aimed at her head. It hit her shoulder with a sickening crack and she was thrown from the bike.

"Run!" Inuyasha shouted to her as she scrambled to get up. He watched her run as fast as she could she into the trees by the side of the road, worried that she was clutching her shoulder and limping slightly. Inuyasha returned his attention to their attacker a second too late. Before he could blink the iron rod slammed against his side. _Fuck, that cracked a rib_. Inuyasha dodged the next blow and came up swinging. One fist connected, knocking the man back a few feet. He threw himself off the bike and dodged another blow with the tire iron.

"Fucking coward!" Inuyasha shouted. "Put down that stupid stick and fucking fight me!" The hanyou lunged at the other man, fingers crooked, baring his claws. Flesh tore and a scream escaped from the thug.

"Hanyou," the man spat as he threw the tire iron towards the woods. "Worthless stinking half-breed." Blood steadily dripped to the ground from a wound in his side.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, a growl beginning in his chest. "What did you call me?" He cracked his fingers with a negligent movement. "You'd dare call me a 'half-breed?' Do you even know who the fuck I am? You worthless pile of shit!" He threw himself bodily at the man then, taking both of them to the ground. They fought like that for a few moments, neither one gaining the advantage. Then a knife appeared and Inuyasha found himself grappling for the weapon and trying to avoid slashes to his exposed flesh.

For a moment, Inuyasha found himself on the bottom, the knife inches away from his throat. _Damn, this fucker is strong. He has got to be youkai or fae, no human has this type of strength._ With a growl, he dug his claws into the other man's arms and pulled, trying to see if he could rip enough flesh off to stop him. It did little good.

The man looking down at him laughed and spoke to him. "Of course I know who you are! You're Inuyasha; tainted son of the Inu no Taisho. And I'll have the honor of wiping your stain off the planet." The youkai snarled and his eyes flashed red. Spittle and drool flew from the creature's mouth and Inuyasha could feel the acidity of the liquid burning his skin. With a loud cry he drew the man closer and then flipped him over his head to land on his back. He landed with a thud and scuttled away. When Inuyasha gained his feet, the man threw himself at him again, knife flashing. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and slashed at his opponent with iron hard claws.

When he backed away to survey the damage, he clutched his own side, realizing that he had been cut as well. _Fuck!_ The gash ached now, but soon it would be healed. _If I can get Kagome and myself out of this mess_, he amended.

Gripping the wound tighter, he felt his fingers beginning to drip with blood and grinned. With a rare display of youki, he gathered the blood into solid blades and threw them at his attacker with a cry. The blades of blood tore at his attacker and shredded much of his skin. Kagome's gasp almost distracted him, but he saw the other man move out of the corner of his eye as he turned to check on her.

The man threw himself at Inuyasha again, but this time, the hanyou was ready for him. He dodged and rolled, snaking his heavily booted foot out to catch his opponent's knee to disable him. He felt his foot connect and heard the popping of bones being dislocated. A moment later Inuyasha was standing over the man who had attacked them, boot on the other man's chest.

"What the fuck did you think you were doing?" Neither was really breathing hard, but Inuyasha was far from relaxed. "Who are you?"

"I am Goshinki," the man replied. Inuyasha looked him over, memorizing his face. "Go ahead and memorize my face. It will be the last one you see, I want it to be familiar." His features were blunt; his nose broad and flat, his lips thin and flexible. His hair was light grey but his skin was darker and reddish, almost purple. Inuyasha suddenly noticed two horns protruding from his hair.

"What do you want?" he barked, pressing a little harder with his foot.

"To erase a mistake," Goshinki rasped. His eyes darted to the road towards town. "You will see me again." Inuyasha's ears flicked in the same direction his sensitive hearing picking up sirens. _Kagome must have called the police with her cell_, he thought with relief. _Smart girl_.

Suddenly he felt claws digging into the skin of his leg, the one not holding the captive down. Another slash of claws and two more from the knife and Inuyasha was down again. But this time Goshinki did not take advantage of the situation and attack again.

This time he ran.

By the time the police arrived, Goshinki was long gone and Inuyasha was spitting mad. Kagome was trying to calm him, assuring him that she was only bruised and tried to see to his cuts but he was livid. He brushed aside her offer of aid and looked at her shoulder. _Not broken_, he thought with a frown, _but not healthy either_.

Sango was the first uniform on the scene and offered to call for an ambulance but both refused. Her partner called in the incident and relayed the refusal of medical assistance.

"Kagome, what did you get yourself into this time," Sango chided gently.

"It's not my fault!" the girl cried.

"This time?" Inuyasha asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's nothing, honestly. I don't understand why everyone made such a big deal out of that stupid incident anyway." Kagome crossed her arms and looked off into the wood. _Bitch is hiding something_, he thought.

"I hardly think that a stalker is nothing, 'Gome." Sango rolled her eyes at the younger girl. "Honestly, if it made you mother, who hates the thought of you becoming a miko, so paranoid she agreed to your moving _here_, it had to be something big." Kagome glared at her friend.

"Stalker?" Inuyasha was very curious now. _Some shithead was following my Kagome? Wait- She's not mine. Not mine… But still, some creep scaring her family into sending her here…_

"He was not a stalker," Kagome said, interrupting his train of thought. "He just had a difficult time believing I didn't want to date him. And he liked to watch me."

"Sounds like a stalker to me," he replied.

"Oh shut up and focus on what just happened!" she barked at him. "We were nearly killed! Some psycho attacked us and you're worried about something that didn't happen?"

"So what _did_ just happen, Yash?" Sango asked, taking out her notepad and a pen. "Kagome called in that some big freak had chopped down a tree and was pounding on you."

"It was a youkai," he replied. "He was pretty big so he probably pushed the tree down himself. Said his name was Goshinki."

"Do you know him?"

"No, but he knew me." Inuyasha frowned and shifted his feet. The gashes were beginning to heal and it was uncomfortable. "Are you sure you need to report this, Sango? I mean; it was a youkai fight…"

"It was a youkai fight that involved a human. But even if Kagome hadn't been attacked, I'd still have to report it, Yash." Sango shook her head. "There aren't actually separate laws for the different beings and an assault is an assault, regardless of the victim."

"Feh. You're one of the few who see it that way," Inuyasha scoffed. "Feh. Fine. Whatever." Inuyasha proceeded to explain to the policewoman what had happened, Sango asking questions occasionally. He tried to skip over what Goshinki had told him, but Sango wouldn't allow him to.

"So," she said after he'd finished, "it seems to me that this was actually an assassination attempt rather than a random assault."

"No shit." He glanced over at him still intact bike and shifted anxiously again. "Can we go now? Kagome should be getting home soon-"

"After I get Kagome's statement." Sango tuned to her friend. "Gome, are you sure you don't want to get that shoulder looked at? It could be broken and the worst thing for a break is for you to let it go."

Inuyasha bristled. "It's not broken. He wasn't trying to kill her, just knock her out." Sango glared at him.

"She's human," the policewoman practically growled at him. "It takes a lot less than you'd think to break human bone, especially that of a human woman. Since when did you become an expert in human physiology?"

"Guys, I'm fine," Kagome interrupted. "It's feeling better already. Really." Both looked at her disbelievingly. She rolled her eyes at them and blew at her bangs, which were falling in her face. "Let me just give my statement and we can go so his royal bitchiness can get back to brooding, O.K.?"

"Fine. What did you see, Kagome?" Kagome gave her version of the story as Sango wrote it down; it was fairly similar to Inuyasha's. "Anything else?" Sango asked when Kagome stopped.

"No, just that I think Toga Taisho should be called." Inuyasha blinked at her in surprise and then just stared. Kagome flushed. "His youngest son is a target and I think he'd like to know about it," she defended. "From what Kaede told me, he's a loving father who would want to know something like that."

"If anyone calls my father, it will be me."

"O.K. Then we're through," Sango announced. "You're both free to go. Kagome, would you rather ride back in the squad car? If your arm still hurts at all, it might be easier on you to be in the car."

"No, San, I'll be fine." Kagome waved off her friend's concern.

"If you're sure…"

"Absolutely. I'll see you for lunch at Kaede's tomorrow." Kagome smiled at her friend.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kagome and Inuyasha watched the police get back into their car and drive off. Kagome stared at the bike on the far side of the tree and frowned. Inuyasha saw it and smirked.

"So…" Kagome began.

"So?" Inuyasha smirked.

"I don't suppose you're strong enough to lift a fifty foot tall tree?"

Inuyasha's smirk grew. "Aren't you?" Kagome blinked at him and he chuckled. "No? Well then, I guess I'll have to give it a try." He dug the claws of one hand into the trunk close to the road and with a heave pulled the downed tree a few feet off the road surface. Lifting the trunk above his head he began to "walk" his hands along until the tree was standing mostly upright. A bit of a twist settled the roots back to where they should be and he called Kagome over.

"I don't suppose you're strong enough to heal this tree's roots?" he asked her with a smile.

"Um…"

"Just try it," he said. She gave him a doubting look but put her hands on the tree's surface near his. She began to glow a bit pinkish and her eyes moved under her lids in a quick motion. He could feel the power radiating off of her and analyzed her use of her powers as best he could.

_She's wasting energy_, he thought, a little surprised. _It's not focused, just haphazard. If she could focus, she might not drain herself every time she did something more difficult. She knows what she wants to do but not how to fine tune. Huh._ He knew by her stance when the roots were mostly healed and laid a hand on her shoulder. She stopped and looked up at him, a bit confused.

"Let it heal itself the rest of the way," he told her. "That should make the roots harder to break the next time."

"And how would you know that?"

"You can't break a glued board in the same place twice?" he answered, a little unsure. She laughed and shook her head. "Well, I mean-"

"No, Inuyasha, really, you're right. He'll be fine." She smiled up at the tree. "Now let's get back."

The room had once been a ballroom; its wood parquet floors had seen the slippered feet of hundreds of the well to do and wealthy. The mirrors still stood, the crystal chandeliers still hung suspended from the tin ceiling. If one listened closely, the ghosts of music long since played could be heard drifting on a draft.

Of course, only one woman danced here anymore. Today she danced for herself and not her master. She danced wildly, her limbs almost flailing yet still graceful. He always wanted to see something more dignified and controlled, not because he enjoyed it, but because he knew she did not. No music accompanied her today, just the erratic rhythm of her own body. She felt sweat soaking her tank top and drip to the floor yet did not stop; who knew when she would be allowed to dance like this again?

She executed a pirouette, leapt to the left, lunged forward and reached out, eyes closed. Pulling her arms back, she leapt again and again, landing on the balls of her bare feet. With her hands above her head and her left foot on her right knee, she spun with an inhuman speed and grace. With un-natural flexibility, she landed on her feet and then rolled backwards to stand on her hands. She stood that way for a moment before landing on her feet again, her dance becoming a strange mixture of ballet and martial arts.

It could have been hours or mere seconds that she continued on that way but all too soon, the dance was ended by the sound of clapping from the doorway. A man stood there, his long black hair only partially held back. The smile on his face could have frozen the sea. He threw a bottle of water at the dancer and walked into the room as she caught it. Glaring at him, she opened the bottle and drank from it.

"Beautiful, as always, my dear," he said, his voice dark and cold. "But you really must be more precise. I saw several points where you could have hurt yourself." He walked up to her and ran a pale hand down her sweat-covered arm. "And you know I can't have that, my sweet." She repressed a shudder and turned to look up into his eyes.

"What would you have of me, Master?" She spoke softly, trying to keep her loathing of him from her voice.

"Goshinki has failed me," her replied.

"You did not expect him to succeed in the first place, my Lord."

"No, I did not." The man smiled again and caressed her cheek.

"What would you have of me, Master?" she asked again. Her stomach wanted to revolt at his touch and he knew it. His touch trailed to her neck and he moved closer so that his breath snaked over her skin, cooling and heating it at the same time.

"Mmm." He breathed deeply and sighed. "Nothing smells quite as wonderful on you as fear and hatred, Kaugra." She would not allow him the pleasure of seeing her flinch. "I want you to take the next steps, my dear." He moved closer and licked her neck, his hands snaking around her waist and pressing her against him. She fought to contain her whimper of revulsion. "But first, you have another duty."

"Of course, Master."

If you're wondering why I had Kagome eat ginger cookies after the "incident", here is a fun fact: Ginger is a digestive aid. In small quantities it _usually_ helps to relieve nausea and sour stomach, which is why when you're sick, you often get ginger ale. My mother used to feed me ginger snaps on long car trips (over 9 hours long) after she figured out that pretzels just made me worse. (salt is supposed to help with nausea too) To this day, hard pretzels (rods especially) are one of my least favorite foods. When wet, they smell like vomit to me.

Of course, ginger didn't help me much THIS time; I ended up puking every twenty minutes, regardless of the emptiness of my stomach, until my fiancé finally brought me an anti-emetic and some Propel. At least I'm healthy now.

And I promised recommendations, didn't I? First and foremost, Sabichan; she has written some really great AU fics and a few not so AU ones. _A Bus Stop Fairytale_ was one of the first Inuyasha fanfics I read and is still one of my favorites. I occasionally re-read it just because I love it so much. Right now she's working on _My Will_, another AU, where Kagome is a single teenage mother. Great story! READ IT! And she updates more frequently than I do, which is always a plus.

Anyway, I hope you review my story (and read and review Sabichan's). I'll try to remember to thank my reviewers; if I do thank you, it'll probably be in E-mail form. Thanks for reading! Stay Tuned for the next installment of: The Killer Inside!


	10. I Walk Alone

I'm updating again. I know! So soon! Ya'll weren't ready! Anyway, the song the title comes from has been stuck in my head for a while. I feel it's really appropriate for Inuyasha in general, not just for this story. Somewhere in my head there's a vision of Yash in modern clothes walking down an ill maintained street in Cleveland when I hear this song. Of course, that means most of the streets in Cleveland, but hey…

8o8o8o8o8o

Chapter 10: I walk alone

"I walk a lonely road  
The only one that I have ever known  
Don't know where it goes  
But it's home to me and I walk alone

I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of broken dreams  
Where the city sleeps  
And I'm the only one and I walk alone…

_My shadows the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
Till then I walk alone…"_

Green Day, _Boulevard of Broken Dreams_

Mid-morning sunlight lay in a stripe over her face, the heat filtering though her sleep fogged mind and setting off some internal alarm. Kagome groaned and squirmed a bit, trying to escape the uncomfortable sensation but the sun's heat had crept through the entire room, making sleeping impossible. She opened her eyes and for some reason was struck by the wrongness of what she saw. _It's still my room, _she thought blearily._ No one's here that shouldn't be. Everything _seems_ to still be here. What am I missing?_ She glanced briefly at the clock beside her bed and her eyes grew wide.

"Oh my god!" she shrieked. "I overslept! It's ten o'clock!" She bolted from the bed and ran to the bathroom, just barely remembering to snag her robe on the way out the door.

"Monday, Monday," she mumbled to herself. "Where do I go on Monday? Uh…. The Carter House and the Mayor's gardens. Quincy's back garden can wait until tomorrow, there was nothing too pressing there on Thursday." She opened the bathroom door, still talking to herself and proceeded to strip for her shower. "No time for Musashi today but I would like to see about Inuyasha's mom's garden and see about maybe planting around the guest house. Daffodils are pretty but the place is inhabited by primarily men so maybe just some grasses and flowering bushes?" She noticed that something was taped to her mirror but decided to ignore it for the time being in favor of a hot shower.

She could smell something sweet baking and the remainder of a pot of coffee warming in the kitchen below as she turned the tap on. The pipes had all been modernized about fifteen years ago and rattled a bit but still worked decently. "As long as I can get a hot shower," she mumbled, thanking the gods that the house had plumbing at all. The heat felt good on her still sore shoulder. There was definitely a large bruise there, but she could feel that no bones were broken.

She washed her hair quickly and then lathered her entire body with peppermint soap, hoping to combat the heat a bit. She scrubbed her face, conditioned her hair and brushed her teeth all in less than ten minutes. When she jumped from the tub, she nearly slipped on the damp tile before she quickly caught herself on the towel rack. In moments, she was drying off with a pale violet towel and wrapping her hair in another slightly darker one. Suddenly she remembered that something had been stuck on the mirror and went over to check it.

Three photos were neatly taped to the edge of the mirror with the tape on the back so as not to damage the images. All of them seemed to be pictures of her working in Inuyasha's garden. One seemed to have been taken from the far end of the porch, another from further out in the yard and the third seemed to be taken from under the porch. Kagome frowned. "That's weird," she said.

_Did Inuyasha take these_, she wondered. _Maybe he stopped by earlier today and dropped them off with Kaede_. She turned the photos over and looked for any writing that might tell her anything. All three had the same two words on the back. "Hello, Kagome."

"Weird," she said again, shrugging. She couldn't understand why Inuyasha would take pictures of her and then give them to her, but he wasn't the most crystal clear guy. Wrapping her robe back around her body she walked back to her room and looked over her choice of clean clothes. A pair of cutoffs seemed to be calling to her from the bottom drawer of her dresser. Looking through her closet, she picked a mocha colored tank and leather sandals.

In her opinion, there was one good thing about the heat of a Louisiana summer: the dress code was very lax everywhere. No one would argue with even the skimpiest attire because it was just too _hot_ to wear much more. Kagome dressed and ambled her way down the stairs to the kitchen, drawn by the smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls.

Kaede stood at the stove with a pan of the sweet smelling rolls in her oven-mitted hands. "Good morning, neice."

"Good morning, Kaede-baachan," Kagome replied with a smile. "Hey, did Inuyasha stop by this morning?"

"No, child, he did not. Were you expecting him?"

"No, for some reason I just thought he might have." Kagome frowned. _So he didn't give them to Kaede. Maybe he just wanted me to see them? Again, weird._ "Well, I'm going to need to eat and run, it's just after ten fifteen and I need to check the Carter's landscaping before coming back here for lunch with you and Sango." Kagome grabbed a still warm roll from the pan and dropped it in a napkin. "How much coffee is left?"

"A little more than two cups."

"Are you going to have another cup, Aunt Kaede?"

The old miko laughed. "No, you know I cut myself back to just half a cup years ago, dear. You go ahead and have the last two cups worth." She placed the pan of rolls on a trivet on the counter and turned back to her niece. "So, the Carters and who else today, Kagome?"

"Um… I'm supposed to see Mayor Bleudor's roses and possibly Quincy Tulane's back garden. Maybe Inuyasha's mom's garden, though I did four hours there yesterday and I think the soil might need to rest." Kagome took a bite of her cinnamon roll and paused to think. "I want to work in the green house here, but I might not have time today."

"You worked enough yesterday at Inuyasha's and our garden thrives just because you're near. Give your arm a rest today," Kaede cautioned. "It may not be broken, but you were injured yesterday."

Kagome sighed. "I know. I just hate not working on my own garden and I really liked seeing the groundwork Izayoi laid in her own garden. It's very intricate and unique."

Kaede smiled. "Each miko as her own unique style, even when powers are similar. No two miko are the same, Kagome." Kaede walked over to the cabinets and took out a mug. "Maire told me yesterday that I've done a poor job training you." Kagome blushed and shook her head, denying the claim. "No, child, she's right. I've coddled you for far too long, Kagome. Perhaps because I fear what you could become; perhaps because part of me wants to adhere to your mother's wishes and protect you from the life a miko must sometimes live." The old woman shook her head. "Regardless of why, tomorrow at dawn, we start the training I should have started with you years ago."

"Training how?"

"You'll see." Kaede poured the coffee for her niece and added just the right amount of sugar and cream. "Now finish your breakfast and go. The Carter House is waiting for you."

Kagome gulped her coffee, washing down the sweet roll, then grabbed her keys off the rack and dashed out to her car.

o8o8o8o8o8o

He'd been staring at the phone for nearly forty-five minutes.

_Fuck, if it takes this much just to call him…_ Inuyasha looked back down at the page with his father's phone number on it. He knew the number by heart, had known the number for years. There was no reason to have the phone book opened. His claws drummed out a staccato rhythm on the tabletop.

It was difficult for him to admit how much he valued his father's opinion, how much he loathed worrying or upsetting the older youkai. Would his father be disappointed in him because he'd failed to eliminate the threat to his life? Would he think his youngest son weak for mentioning it to him? Would it even matter?

Closing his eyes he dialed the number and pressed talk. _Better get the damn thing over with_, he thought. The phone had rung twice when someone picked up.

"Hello?" The voice of the Inu no Taisho was low and calm. Just hearing his father's voice helped Inuyasha relax and not feel so stupid for calling over what he considered a minor incident.

"Dad? It's me."

"Yash! It's great to hear from you!" It was clear from his tone how much he cared for him youngest son. Inuyasha smiled and relaxed a bit more. "How is everything in Louisiana? Is the house still there? How are you?"

"The house is still here, Dad," the hanyou replied with a grin. "I even remodeled the carriage house so I could rent it out. I've got a theology teacher living there right now."

"Theology?" Toga sounded surprised. "Well, at least a priest would be a quiet tenant, I suppose."

Inuyasha laughed. "He's a Buddhist monk who can't keep his hands off anything with breasts." Toga laughed along with his son. "The letch has been here a total of three days and already Kaede's niece has had to put him in his place. He also seems to have a thing for Sango, you know, Kenko and Delia's daughter?" Toga laughed harder. "She told him Sango would probably kick his ass."

"Sounds like Sango to me. Kaede has another niece living with her?" his father asked.

"Yeah, same generation as the last, different branch of the family, apparently. Her name is Kagome Higurashi. She's about twenty-one, mostly works doing gardening for locals." Inuyasha paused. "She was Kikyou's favorite cousin, actually, though I didn't meet her until recently. She's also a miko, a powerful one." The man on the other end of the line was silent for a moment. Inuyasha cleared his throat. "I've asked her to help me find Kikyou's killer." It seemed a lifetime before Toga spoke again.

"Yash, are you sure that's a good idea?" he finally asked. His voice seemed strained. "I understand how it feels to lose a mate but you can't let this rule your life-"

"Kagome's the only person here, other than Kaede and Myoga, who doesn't assume that I killed her." Inuyasha's voice began to shake. "Hell, Dad, even I think it's possible."

"No."

"But Dad-"

"No son of mine would kill their mate." Toga's voice was stern. Inuyasha felt buoyed by the faith in his father's voice. "Not willingly. No Inu-youkai would ever be able to kill their mate in cold blood or even out of anger, not and survive the pain of the broken bonds." Inuyasha closed his eyes.

"And if she refused the bonds?"

"What foolish woman refuses the bonds of-"

"Kikyou didn't want to have her soul tied to that of a youkai," Inuyasha interrupted. "She was just… I was probably the only youkai ever that she didn't completely loath." There was silence again on the other end.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

"I'm getting over it." Inuyasha sighed into the receiver and ran a hand through his hair. "But you see why I have to figure out what happened. She was not my _bonded_ mate, but she was still _mine_ when she died. Weather she liked it or not, she was mine and I have to know. I have to avenger her." He let out another deep breath. "And if I killed her… I'm not sure what I'll do."

"Why do the locals think you killed her, Yash?" Toga's voice was a bit softer. Inuyasha breathed deeply and let it out very slowly.

"Because we argued, publicly and very heatedly, the night before she disappeared," he finally replied.

"About?"

"She…" Inuyasha took another deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I was early finishing up some papers and wanted to surprise her at work. When I got there, she hadn't arrived at her office yet and several of her students were waiting for her. I sat in her office and waited with them but the moment she opened the door..."

"What happened?" Inuyasha clenched his fists until he could feel blood dripping down his arm, he could feel himself growling. "Yash. Inuyasha." He took deep breaths of air, the pain still raw inside. "What happened?"

"She reeked of sex," he gasped, voice raw and guttural. "It clung to her like cheap perfume. And there was no hint of guilt." For an instant, Inuyasha could swear he heard his father growling. He took another deep breath and continued. "I literally dragged her to my car. We argued on the way back to the house. We argued at the house. She begged me to listen to her, to understand why she did what she did, but I refused to listen. I threw her out of the house. I literally picked her up and threw her out on the porch. After that, I went into my dojo and fought until I blacked out." Inuyasha took another deep breath. "The next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital with her blood still on my hands."

"Why did you never tell us? Your mother and I, we would have helped you; you know we would have done anything in our power." His father's voice sounded hurt and pained. "Why did you try to carry this burden alone, son?"

"I- I thought I had to." The hanyou shook his head. "I've told one other person this, Dad. Just one. I never thought-"

"It's ok, son. It's ok. We'll figure something out. Maybe I can even help you?" His father paused. "Who was the other person you told?"

"Kagome."

"Why?"

"I trust her, Dad. It's… hard to explain," he hedged. "She's a miko, and she's Kikyou's younger cousin. Hell, the first time I saw her I thought she was Kikyou back from the dead."

"What? Son, you don't get involved with a woman because she looks like a dead woman. They tend to get upset over that."

"Dad, I'm not 'involved' with her. Yet. I can't allow that to happen, not until I know what happened to Kikyou. And honestly, she is completely different from Kikyou. She fucking smiles and laughs. She heals things. She's just so different." Inuyasha stopped, at a loss. "Maire actually liked her."

"You're kidding." Toga paused a moment. "Maire's a very good judge of character."

"I know." Inuyasha smiled gently. "I took her to Maire's yesterday after she worked in Mom's garden for a while. I felt it was the least I could do to repay her. Then I told her all about Kikyou. Maire got a clear read off her in less than five minutes"

"You let her work on Izayoi's garden?" Toga asked, a little angered.

"I trust her," Inuyasha repeated. "Not to mention her Miko power is so strong she could purify even _you_ with just a thought. Anyway, it was a mess, Dad. She did what she could to uncover Mom's spells and enchantments and preserve them. She said that anything that intricate deserved to be preserved and maintained as beautifully as possible." Inuyasha laughed. "I watched her. It was amazing and you would be surprised to see the difference in the place. You know how overgrown it was five years ago when you last visited?" Toga replied affirmatively. "It's was ten times worse on Saturday, but Sunday morning made it look like the clock has turned back eight years."

"She's that good?"

"And then some." Inuyasha laughed. "The little fool tried to heal me Sunday afternoon. Wiped herself out because she's not fully trained and can't focus her power yet."

"She tried to heal you? Heal what? Why? Were you hurt?"

"Physically, not then. But emotionally, yeah, I was kinda falling apart."

"Not then?" his father asked. "Inuyasha, what the hell is going on? You call me up out of the blue, confess that you might have killed your fiancé, talk about her young cousin like some school boy with a crush and then insinuate that you were injured." Toga paused for breath. "What the fuck is going on, boy?"

"I'll tell you if you promise not to blow up."

"Which pretty much guarantees that I will, you know." Toga sighed. "Very well, I will remain calm. For now."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and prayed to al the gods he knew of and then crossed his fingers. "A demon named Goshinki tried to kill Kagome and myself on the way back from Maire's yesterday. He knew I was your son and said that he was going to 'erase a mistake.' I mostly knocked him out of commission, but he got away."

Toga was silent for only a moment. "I'm coming on the next flight I can catch. Your brother should be there within the next two days."

o8o8o8o8o8o

The house was quiet and empty. When she had left for her own small beach house up the coast, she took all the sunshine and color from the place. It was just a house again. While she had inhabited it, it had been a home.

_Still_, he thought to himself, _she will return_. The beginning of the mating bond was established less than two days ago. Rin would return to him; she had promised to be back this evening after work.

Sesshomaru paced. It was unlike him to be so… emotional. But gaining a mate changed everything in one's life, he found, even the simple things, things one took for granted, were different. _I shall have to call Father_, he thought suddenly, _to ask his blessing and inform him of the new member to our family, if nothing else_. Not that a blessing from the Inu no Taisho was strictly necessary, but it would be nice. With that in mind, he took himself to his office and opened his phone book.

No numbers had changed but he was not sure which house his father was currently using. The cell would be the best bet he decided and picked up the receiver to dial.

He was mildly surprised when the phone in his hand rang. Checking the caller ID, one eyebrow raised and he let a small smile escape. Father was calling him. He pressed a button and answered the phone.

"Hello, Father."

"Sesshomaru, I'm glad I caught you at home!" Sesshomaru had never been completely comfortable with his father's jovial manner; his own demeanor was much more like his mother's had been, cold and quiet. "How are you? Is California treating you well?"

"You could say that," the stoic younger man replied. "I had been about to call you with some good news, actually."

"Good news? Really, that would be wonderful!" Sesshomaru could hear the smile in the older man's voice. "Tell me your good news."

"I have taken a mate." He could almost hear his father's breath catch.

"You don't say," his father breathed. "What is she like? I'm assuming she's a youkai, considering your taste."

"Actually, Father, she's human." He counted to three, knowing that it would take that long for his father to assimilate the information. "Her name is Rin Shinuta. She is twenty and is the owner and CEO of her own company."

"Sesshomaru, as pleasant as this surprise is to me, I must ask. Are you sure? Taking a mate is a huge responsibility as well as a major life change and a human mate is... It's not so much a matter of your readiness as… well… her humanity."

"I understand your concern, Father. My feelings towards humans have always been adversarial at best." Sesshomaru paused. "I have killed my fair share of them and watched with no mercy as others slaughtered them. But Rin… is special."

"Special, you say?" Toga paused for a moment and when he spoke again, a smile was evident in his voice. "Rin is your soul mate, isn't she?"

"Yes. We met by chance were both aware of the connection instantly. Rin is… far more than I deserve." Sesshomaru allowed some of the joy at finding her seep into his voice. Toga had been absent for most of Sesshomaru's formative years but he was quite aware that the older man harbored some deep affection for him. It would bring Toga joy to know that at least one son was happy.

"I would love to meet her, son. What would you say to flying out to the Louisiana house and bringing her with you? Say, tomorrow?" Something in his father's voice alarmed Sesshomaru.

"Tomorrow is quite soon," the younger youkai murmured. "And Inuyasha is in Louisiana. What are you not telling me, Father?"

"Your brother is being hunted."

"Hunted? What fool would dare attack the son of the Inu no Taisho, even a half-breed son?" Sesshomaru asked incredulously.

"Do not call your brother that," his father growled. "My blood runs through both of your veins and I will not tolerate petty in-fighting between my sons, understood?"

"Understood, Father." Sesshomaru laughed humorlessly. "Actually, it seems we have similar taste in women. My Rin is a distant cousin of his late fiancé. Apparently, their great grandmothers were sisters." Toga was silent for a long moment.

"That family has a long history with ours, actually," he finally said. "Five generations ago, they followed us from Japan; I had protected their line from the days of Midoriko. There is little Japanese blood left; intermarriage is so tolerated here and that line has never been conventional. Still their hearts remain tied to older ways. I am not surprised that you both took mates from their linage."

"Fortunately for me, my mate is still alive." Sesshomaru paused for a moment. As different as he was from his brother, somewhere in his heart, there was still affection for him. "Has my brother healed much since Kikyou's death?"

"No," the father sighed, his worry evident. "Although he now keeps company with another niece of Kaede's, one named Kagome. But still, he has not healed. He fears that he was Kikyou's murderer."

"It is impossible for an Inuyoukai to murder their mate," Sesshomaru responded coldly. "The bonds prevent that, even in a case of adultery."

"They were not bonded. She refused. And she was an adulteress."

"Fuck."

"My sentiments exactly." The older man sighed and Sesshomaru was suddenly aware of the difference in age between himself and his father. _He was nearly my age now when I was born_, the younger youkai thought suddenly. _And still he protects and cares for his sons. What kind of father will I be?_ The thought made him blink. He had never thought of having children before but it was quite possible that even now his heir grew inside his chosen mate. A new determination welled inside him.

"I will call Rin and arrange for a flight early tomorrow morning, Father."

o8o8o8o8o8o

One of my reviewers (NinaWilliamsSilentAssassin) had a question about the nationality/background of the characters. Sesshomaru and Toga Taisho are Japanese immigrants; Inuyasha's mother was second or third generation, somewhat mixed. Kagome's family is mostly Japanese immigrants, but have some mixed backgrounds. Sango is also of mixed heritage, as is Miroku. Sango's mother, whom we will meet soon, Irish American but allowed her children to be given traditional Japanese names. I hope that answers your question. And I do promise Inu/Kag fluffiness and citrus at some point soon, if not out and out lemons, but not quite yet. Please note that only _three days_ have passed in nine chapters. Too early for sex in my opinion.

Important Songs: _Indifference_ and _Dissident_ by Pearl Jam. _With or Without You_ by U2. _More Than This_ and _Lovesong_ by The Cure. _Judith_, _Magdalena_ and _Blue_ by A Perfect Circle. _North Main Street_ and _Both Hands_ by Ani DiFranco. _Yes_, _All Wrong_ and _Saddest Song_ by Morphine. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day. _Ice_ and _Fear_ by Sarah McLachlan.

A bit huge thank you to all of my reviewers and a special thank you to Sutlesarcasm for her subtle shove to get writing again.

More recommendations? Well, any of smittin kittin's stories, they're lemony and fun. Terri Botta's _The Lucky Ones_ and any subsequent stories in that universe; she's _so_ incredibly awesome. I'm really fond of DelKaiden's stories, but I don't like all of them. _Broadway Baby_ was great, as were _Goodbyes_ and _Hello, Again_. I also liked _Aburana_, which she seems to have given up on. Scathach is awesome and I love all her stories (I'm a Trigun fan as well). I'm also really loving Numisma's _Movie House Hanyou_ and most of her short drabbles are great too. Most of these are on Media Miner.

On FFnet I loved Chri's _Settle the Score_, _1025 FM_ by whoknoz, _Beast_ by Ikustioa, most of the Inuyasha stories by ArtemisMoon and alandrem's _Present Time_, which is unfortunately on hold. You can check out my favorites on FFnet; it's pretty true to what I've been reading there. I'm also a big fan of Witch Hunter Robin and Trigun as well as Cowboy Bebop.

Anyway, Read and Review. Sorry for the long Author's notes!!


	11. All in the Family

Sorry this update took so long! I've been… busy. I'm getting married the 29th of October. We got engaged officially on Christmas morning. I'll be a 3rd generation October bride! I'm working pretty hard and am babysitting my students a lot to cover the cost of a wedding dress and "underpinnings", not to mention the huge debt I owe for college and credit cards…

And my sister-in-law-to-be has moved in with my fiancé and myself, along with her 3 yr-old son. She and her skank-addicted, adulterous, republican asshat of a husband are getting a divorce. It's going to be interesting. Yeah… Less than 7 months to my wedding… I think I might just scream.

Chapter 11: All in the Family.

After calling his father, Inuyasha had decided to get some work done before his old man could get there. Unfortunately, as soon as he set up his accounting program on his laptop, he found it impossible to concentrate. For an hour or so he puttered around online, reading old mail and researching building materials.

Soon though, he got restless and found it necessary to do something else, preferably something physical. The porch needed work so he started taking measurements and compiling a list of supplies. When that was done he tinkered with his bike and his cars for a few hours, still unable to completely focus. By six, he was thoroughly covered in grease and dirt. He went in to shower and avoided the phone, trying not to think about calling Kagome. Dinner ended up being ramen and a beer with ice cream for dessert. As a last resort, he turned on the TV in the den and began to vegetate.

When the phone rang at nine that night, he nearly didn't answer it. _Might be Dad, though_, he thought and went to pick it up.

"Hello?" he said.

"Yash!" Toga said loudly. "I just got to Philadelphia. I should be in Louisiana in a few hours." The sounds of a busy airport could be heard in the background. "I'll be flying out of here in an hour and should be getting into New Orleans around one AM."

"You want me to meet you at the airport?" Inuyasha asked.

"Thanks but no, I'll be renting a car," Toga replied. "Don't even wait up, son; it should be about four in the morning by the time I get to Bonne Forêt County anyway. I've still got keys, I'll let myself in."

Inuyasha frowned. "Damn, I forgot about getting a room ready."

"Don't worry, I'll find somewhere to sleep," his father laughed.

"I haven't exactly done too much work on the inside, Dad, just enough to keep myself comfortable. You sure you don't want to stay at Chien Effrayant? I mean, it is your house-"

"No, Sesshomaru is going to stay there with his mate."

"Sesshomaru and his what?" Inuyasha blinked. "You're kidding. He actually took a mate? When? Is it the human girl he had a date with?"

"Apparently they sealed the deal early Sunday morning." Inuyasha could almost hear his father scowling. "So, you knew about the date, huh? That was more than I knew. He sorta sprung it on me earlier today when I called; told me he'd been just about to call me with 'good news.' He's bringing her out to meet us tomorrow." Inuyasha could hear the laughter in his father's voice. "I do know a little more about her now than you do. Her name is Rin Shinuta and she's apparently part of the Musashi clan, another great niece of Kaede Musashi."

"Kaede has a hell of a lot of great nieces, it seems," Inuyasha grumbled quietly. "I should assume that you mentioned Kagome to him?" He grimaced at his father's affirmative grunt. "Feh. Anyway. Yeah I knew about that date. A few nights ago, he called me to ask if a human woman would eat raw demon meat." Toga burst out laughing. "I told him that no human woman I knew would touch the stuff. Sesshomaru sounded a bit put out. I kid you not, Dad."

"Your brother, Yash…" Toga trailed off. "He's a piece of work, honestly, but no more so than you."

"You know, for the longest time I'd wondered if perhaps he was gay, you know? I mean, he does have hair down to his knees and he's very…"

"Delicate? Pretty?" Toga supplied. "Min was that way, too. Very delicate and refined, like an ice sculpture."

Inuyasha frowned. He could count on one hand the number of times his father had mentioned his first mate. _Mother told me it was sometimes painful for him to speak of her_, he thought, remembering his mother's sad look whenever he asked about the woman who gave birth to his brother. "Sesshomaru resembles Min?"

"In many ways, yes. Both you and your brother inherited my coloring and temper, though Sesshomaru controls it much better than you or I ever did. I feel that has a lot to do with Min's influence." Inuyasha relaxed back into his chair as his father continued, assuaging his curiosity about the woman who'd come before his mother. "Min was very quiet and could be quite cold. She did not lack emotion by any means; rather, she simply would not allow it to show. She was also delicate looking, although she was definitely as strong as any bitch I've ever met; again, something your brother takes after her in."

"Pretty but strong?" Inuyasha asked a bit sarcastically.

"More like 'lovely and lethal,'" the Taisho laughed. "Poisonous to the bone. Anyway, I've got to go! The plane is boarding. We can talk more about this tomorrow morning, I promise."

"I'll get a room ready for you," Inuyasha replied.

"Great. Thanks, son. See you soon, Yash. Love you."

"Love you too, Dad," he replied as his dad hung up. He sat there for a moment, still holding the phone in his hand. _Too late to call Kagome?_ he wondered to himself. Perhaps, but since he didn't have her number, it was a moot point. He set the phone down in the cradle and tapped his claws against the arm of the chair.

There were three rooms in his wing that still had beds and were reasonably habitable. One even had its own bathroom. _Not that it works very well or is completely up to code, but hey, it's a bathroom, right?_ Inuyasha smirked. _And if he wants it to work better he can fix it himself._ Grinning, he climbed the stairs to search for some sheets.

A quiet knock on her door woke Kagome shortly before dawn that Tuesday. Outside, it was still dark and the steady rain promised that the sun would not show. Kagome hid her face in her dark hair for a moment and cringed at the earliness. A second, louder knock followed and she sighed.

"I'm up, Kaede," she called.

"Good," the elderly woman replied, "Bathe and dress in something loose and comfortable then come down to the kitchen to meet me."

Kagome showered quickly and dressed in loose fitting cotton pants and a baggy tank top. She could smell tea brewing in the kitchen along with something not so familiar. Kagome made a confused face as she entered the kitchen and Kaede smiled.

"Miso soup. It's traditional." Kagome looked at it skeptically. "It's not bad, I promise."

"I've never had it for _breakfast_ before…" Kagome trailed off.

"Today is a day for new things, child."

Half an hour later found them both in the greenhouse.

"Breathe deep and find the root of your powers." Kagome sat cross- legged on a mat placed on the packed dirt ground, hands resting lightly on her knees and her back straight. Before her, slightly raised by a low table, Kaede sat in a similar position. "Envision your power as water; dip your hands into it and feel it flow. This should feel familiar and natural." Kagome sighed as he felt her powers wash over her. It was like wading in a stream, simple. "Now I want you to begin to shape that power. Do not force it; simply mold it into a rope. It will be difficult so do not press too hard, just feel the dichotomy of it, the paradox of power. It is liquid and flows, yet is it solid and strong. It will hold a great many things."

Kaede's voice droned on as Kagome attempted to do as she was being told. She felt the warmth of her power flowing through her, but was unable to grasp even a thread of it. She repressed the urge to simply loosen her hold on the magic and let it flow out of her. That was not what Kaede had asked her to do. Suddenly she exhaled a sigh of frustration.

"I can't do it, Kaede!"

"Patience. I did not expect you to on your first try." Kaede looked down at her thoughtfully. "By what means do you usually expel your power?"

The girl thought for a moment, chewing on her lower lip in concentration. _How **do** I use my power?_ She asked herself.

"It comes out through my hands," she said, a little irritated at how dumb she sounded. "I open… _something_ or let go of it and it simply pours out through my hands."

"Does it come from anywhere else, child?" Kagome thought again for a moment, trying to pinpoint the sensation.

"My chest, sometimes," she answered hesitantly. "Especially when I'm working with more complex things. Flowers and herbs are one thing. Trees, animals and people are another entirely. It pours out like water from a pitcher or a hose." Kaede nodded.

"To use you power more effectively, you must learn to shape the power before it leaves you." The old woman smiled. "Spells are a way of harnessing and directing the power a bit more… deliberately, but they would not be as effective for you. Regardless, once you learn the feel of your power and the feel of manipulating it, I will teach you a few simple spells."

"Spells? Like those of the Fae?"

"Yes and no. The spells the Fae use, the powers they use, are unique to their race; just as the powers of the demons are unique to their race and the power of the miko are exclusive to the females of our race. Those who are a mix of the two races are either powerless or their abilities are a mingling of the two."

"Inuyasha is the child of a Taiyoukai and a Miko," Kagome whispered. "Does that mean that his powers are a mix of the two?"

"Yes and no," the old woman replied again.

"Kaede!"

"I will try to explain. Males of our race do have power, but ti inherently different from ours. Had Inuyasha been a female child, yes, his powers would have been a mix of the two. But Inuyasha is male," _Ain't that the truth_, Kagome thought wryly, then smashed the thought. "And so his demon powers were merely amplified. Hanyou children of Taiyoukai and Miko are generally as strong or stronger, spiritually and power wise, than their taiyoukai fathers. However, their bodies are not strong enough to handle those amounts of power and if the energy is not contained or siphoned off, they will destroy themselves."

Kagome sat and thought about that before asking another question. "How would energy like that be contained?"

"A magical object would be my first assumption." Kaed shrugged. "I never thought to ask, honestly."

"But-"

"We have strayed from the true topic, my dear." Kaede frowned and resumed her meditative pose. "Now try again to simply _hold_ your magic. Try this…"

A lone white figure stood un-noticed in the trees of Rinoko Manor, fog and darkness masking her visibly. Dawn was just breaking as a rented car pulled into the drive. A tall man with long white hair exited the car carrying a small bag. His bearing was regal but he moved in a somewhat tired fashion.

The figure alerted her master.

The Leader of the Dogs had returned.

Ok. I'm happy with all the reviews I'm getting so I'll be a good sport and reply to some… Most of these reviews are from FFnet,

**FFnet**

**golden-eyed-viper**: I'm glad you like the story. As for being a rocker? Um… See, I'm like… old now… But still ten years younger than my fiancé:-P Anyway, I'm not into much that isn't rock or industrial. As you might be able to tell by songs I've said were important, I like NIN, A Perfect Circle, Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, John Mayer (where that comes from is a mystery), Green Day and a bunch of other people who were popular in the 90's. Probably because that's when I was in HS. So I guess it does make me a "rocker" although I prefer the term "sane."

**Nella/Inuyasha lover**: I get my ideas from the aliens that abducted me and gave me an anal probe. Dude, it's like this fifty-foot weirdo satellite that comes out of my ass and puts ideas directly into my brain. Seriously, though, I'm not sure where they come from. Probably from having too much caffeine or something.

**EarthQueen**: Thank you for the praise and I hope you can get your story written and online soon. I'd love to read it.

**Silver Rain Drops**: You reviewed each and every chapter right after reading! You've got to be the sweetest reviewer I've had! (no offence, guys) I sincerely hope you continue reading. BTW, I _NEVER_ gave the man watching Kaugra a name. Are you sure it's Naraku?

**NinaWilliamsSilentAssassin**: Thank you for the praise. I'm gonna get a big head soon, but please, don't stop! And I based Inu's dad on… well I just get this image of him, he's youngish, still vital and fiercely loving. He's realized that he's made mistakes with Sesshomaru and tries not to make the same ones with Inu… It's like, he knows he not the perfect father, that he's been absent too much in BOTH of his son's lives, but he still tries to help them and wants to have an adult relationship with them. I feel that many parents make the mistake of treating their children like children ALWAYS. But eventually children grow up. Ok… Enough psychobabble…

**Devine Red Canyon**: Thanks for the review. It IS a lot of info, but I'm better at info than action, lately. There will be more action eventually and I'm pretty sure all the Taishos get to rumble with some badass villains… I love watching Sesshy fight. :wistful sighs: But that's still a ways off.

MMorg 

**Smittin Kittin**: So glad you like. When are you going to update **_YOUR_** fics, girl? I'm dying for one of your juicy Kag/Inu lemons…

**Sutlesarcasm**: Dunno why more people aren't reviewing on this site, but I'm glad you feel that way about my story. Having my work called "quintessential" is a novelty and rather exciting. BTW, don't assume too much about Naraku… Because when you assume, you just make an ass out of me and U. :-P no offense meant. And get the bib ready…

**QTpie**: I hope you passed your exam! Chem is a hard subject! I haven't taken it since HS and… let's just say I was a hazard in the class; burning Skipper over an open flame, standing over the beaker and **_BREATHING_**. Yeah, I learned first hand LYE is a VERY caustic base and can cause _permanent_ changes in your vocal range when inhaled… shaid is no longer a soprano. :-(

And thank you to the recent reviewers asking me why I never update…

Now I HAVE updated!

And with that, I shall say adieu.


	12. Fair Weather

It may be time to reveal _some_ of my hand. I've got some unusual plans, some twists and a trick or two up my sleeve. I've been… out of my mind busy lately and have re-worked this chapter 6 times. I hope it all comes out ok!

Chapter 12: Fair Weather

Rin loved flying. So when her new mate had asked her to fly to Louisiana with him, she readily agreed. The suddenness of his request and the quick boarding of the plane suggested to her that something was not quite right and Rin longed to question him on the real reason for this hurried visit. Sesshomaru was not volunteering any information and a mild warning look forbade any questions. Rin trusted her mate; he would never take her somewhere unsafe and all would eventually be revealed.

For all of his haste, it seemed Sesshomaru was not as enamored with flying as his young mate was. Rin smiled at the taiyoukai next to her. He had not chartered a jet, as he was accustomed to doing, but had simply flown first class on a major airline, as it was more expedient and efficient. He was presently clutching the arm of his seat and looking rather dour.

"It's the people, isn't it love," she whispered to him.

"After a fashion, yes," he murmured back tersely.

"All the stinky humans stuffed into a sardine can of a plane, sweating, farting, and generally just being foul, which they really can't help, in a small space with no ventilation…" She began to giggle.

"Tease me anymore, koishii and I might not allow you to visit with your cousin," he warned. Rin merely smiled at him, knowing he could not actually deny her that. He sighed and looked straight ahead, obviously unaccustomed to explaining himself but wanting to make an effort for her sake. "This plane is not entirely peopled with humans," her explained. "I can distinctly smell three kistune, five tanuki, fifteen Fae and a very pregnant inu hanyou, in addition to the nearly seventy other beings on this flight." He closed his eyes and grimaced. "As an Inu Taiyoukai, no, in general, I do not enjoy the odor of airplanes. I also do not, generally, enjoy the smell of many closed areas, including health care facilities, kennels, and perfume shops." Sesshomaru sighed. "That does not mean I will never enter such places, just the I'm displeased with the smell and would rather not spend an extremely long amount of time there."

"Like now. An eight-hour flight is a very long time in a very cramped area. I understand, love," Rin sighed. "I don't like the smell of hospitals much either." She pushed up her plush armrest and cuddled up against her mate. Almost instantly he calmed, if only a bit. She could feel some of the tenseness leave his muscles.

He was wearing a suit, as usual, his long white hair pulled back into a long ponytail. She rarely saw him in anything else. This suit was a bit less formal, though. The jacket and slacks were still Armani, the shirt was still silk, but he wasn't wearing a tie today, for once and the cut was "deconstructed" and rather casual. Rin herself was dressed fairly casually. Her khaki capris and orange silk sleeveless blouse were a bit dressy for her taste, but she wanted to impress her in-laws. It had not occurred to her until after take off that it would be well into the next day before she would actually meet the famed Toga Taisho.

"Do you think your father will like me?" Rin chewed her lip nervously.

Sesshomaru smiled faintly. "You will enchant him, koishii." Rin arched an eyebrow at him. "When I spoke with him on the phone, he was very excited that I had taken a mate. He was, perhaps, a bit concerned that you were human. That was more due to my general attitude towards humanity than any feelings of his own. This Sesshomaru has not always been… kind to your race."

"I know. You told me that you had killed several humans before it became illegal to do so. I'm adjusting to the idea." Rin paused for a moment. "Will I meet your brother? I'm curious to meet him, yet at the same time somewhat leery." She snuggled closer, enjoying his warmth. "I've heard that he's been badly treated because of his involvement with Kikyou's death."

"You will meet him."

"Sessh…" She played with his jacket a bit, fondling the crease near the lapel.

"Yes, my love?"

"Have you ever thought that… perhaps he did…" she let her whispered question trail off, almost afraid to ask.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and stroked his mate's arm. A sigh rippled though him. "Honestly, I'm not sure. He loved Kikyou, but she was unfaithful and she refused to have her soul bonded with his. I would like nothing more than to say that my brother would never harm the woman he loved, but I honestly do not know." He bent to kiss her hair and pulled her closer to him. "Sleep, koishii. We still have a long night ahead of us." The two lovers settled back into the plush seats and soon, both were asleep.

It was nearly Wednesday morning when the two arrived at Toga Taisho's mansion in Bonne Foret County. Sesshomaru was forced to carry Rin to their room; she was so deep in sleep. He left her on his bed, carried the suitcases up and after removing his suit, fell into bed beside her. She curled into him as he removed her silk blouse and her pants, sighing deeply. Her perfection left him breathless. He wrapped her in his arms and allowed her even breaths to lull him into a light sleep.

Sunlight crept over his bed a few hours later bringing Sesshomaru fully awake and pulling Rin into the half fog of the non-morning person. She stirred slightly in his arms while he weighed the pros and cons of leaving the bed. When she buried her face in his hair and mumbled something that sounded like "fluffy" he smiled fully and gently shook her awake.

"Rin, it's time to get up."

"Five more minutes." He dropped the smile and shook his head.

"Rin. We are going to meet my father today. I would rather not be late."

"Mo-om!" she whined. "I don't wanna go to school…"

"Rin Shinuta," he said sternly, "this Sesshomaru is your mate and demands that you awaken and get ready to leave. You have an hour to shower and dress." Her eyes popped open and focused on him. "I suggest you start now." He stood and walked from the room into what she assumed was the bathroom.

"Damn, you're bossy in the morning." she grumbled as she rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the rest of the room.

Sesshomaru's voice came from the other room. "Naturally. Who would disobey this Sesshomaru?" He paused and leaned out the door slightly, focusing his emotionless eyes on her still covered form. "You can, of course, shower with me."

Rin grinned.

* * *

Miroku was unsure how early was appropriate for him to visit Musashi Manor. He did not want to insult the elder by arriving before she was prepared for visitors but he was scheduled to meet with some of his new co-workers this afternoon. He had stopped by the university on Monday and found that the next semester was starting in just two weeks. He was scheduled to teach a class on Buddhism in the afternoons Tuesday and Thursday. He had prepared several lesson plans and a syllabus on Monday, giving it the finishing touches and submitting it to the dean just yesterday. After meeting a few very lovely assistant professors and he had cordially asked them to join him for a late lunch at the local café today.

Musashi Manor was impressive, the three-story house looming over the gravel drive as he pulled in. It was nearing ten in the morning and already hot enough to have him sweating. He parked on the far side of the house, noting that Kagome's Jeep was not in evidence. _She said she managed a few other gardens in the area_, he thought, _so she is likely working there_. He was slightly disappointed in this turn of events. While he was not drawn to Kagome as he was to Sango, she was still a beautiful and intelligent woman and speaking with her was stimulating, regardless.

Musashi was in much better repair than Rinoko, its paint was a vibrant yellow and the porch was solid and well kept. The variety and health of the plant life amazed him. Louisiana was a lush area, but this was astounding. What he had at first assumed were flowering trees were gigantic rose bushes, lavender bushes had grown to the proportions of hedges. He walked quietly up to the front door, pausing only a moment before knocking. After only a few moments, a voice called to him.

"Come in, Master Hoshi! I have been waiting for you to visit." Miroku opened the screen door and walked in. "I'm in the solarium on the right, watched you drive up. Come in and sit down." Doing as he was told, Miroku walked through an impressive entryway to a cheerful blue-green room. A small elderly woman sat in a white wicker chair on the far side of the room. She was barely five feet tall and the lines of age were carved deep into her face. Still, Miroku was able to see the once upon a time beauty lurking just beneath the craggy landscape of her face. Beyond her was the entry to a larger, more formal parlor. Miroku came to stand before her and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Lady Kaede. I am Miroku Hoshi and I am honored to have an audience with you."

She eyed him keenly, her lined face serious. Finally she nodded and waved him into the seat across from her. "You have a troubled aura, boy. But I can see that your heart is good." She held up her hand as he moved to speak. "I know your heart is good, or Kagome would not have taken a liking to you. She might not trust her instincts completely yet, but I do." Miroku nodded.

"She is much more powerful than she knows."

"True and that is entirely my fault," the old woman replied. "We have begun her true training this week but I'm still leery of teaching her too much."

Miroku smiled. "She's going to need it, Lady Kaede, if she will be dealing with Inuyasha. I witnessed a small argument between them just this past Sunday and was shocked by how their powers pull at each other."

"Neither is aware of it, you know."

"Of course not." The two smiled, realizing they were in agreement on at least one thing: the hanyou and the young miko were an interesting match, to be sure.

"Now, young man," Kaede demanded, changing the subject abruptly, "tell me of your studies, of your teachers and your travels. Kagome informed me that you were teaching over at the university. How is it that someone as young as yourself is a professor?"

"I'm not as young as I look, Ma'am," Miroku laughed. "I'll turn thirty this coming August. My teacher since my youth was one Mushin Hazaki, a friend of my late father's. Mushin took me in when I was very young; my family was killed in an accident. I attended school irregularly until I was fourteen and then insisted on staying in one place. When I finally graduated from high school, I traveled to Japan, where my father had been born, and joined the same monastery he had. I completed my spiritual training there and then decided to leave Japan in favor of world travel. I worked with the poor in North Africa and built houses and hospitals in South America."

"Your travels are impressive, young man." Kaede was interrupted by a knock at the door. Miroku heard the light footsteps of a woman on the front porch and his curiosity was piqued.

"Kaede? Is everything alright?" He recognized Sango's alto voice immediately. "May I come in?"

"Yes, dear! Come in, come in!" Kaede called to the girl. "Come meet my company!" Sango walked into the room, obviously in uniform. She was slightly taller than Miroku had remembered, perhaps a result of her large boots, but everything else was exactly as he remembered. Her dark hair shone as it had, her face just as expressive, her eyes still like warm brandy. She looked down at him somewhat confusedly but smiled all the same. He stood and held out his hand to her.

"Miroku Hoshi, at your service." She took his had somewhat reluctantly, but her grip was firm and warm. "I will be teaching theology at the university and had heard of the wise Lady Kaede through a friend of my landlord."

"Officer Sango Baitsu." She shook his hand and looked him over, her eyes those of the police officer and not the woman he was so looking forward to meeting. "Who is your landlord?"

Miroku smiled. "Inuyasha Taisho. I met his friend Kagome soon after moving in and she suggested I visit her great aunt as she is so knowledgeable and wise."

Sango blinked. "Kagome told me that she had meet Inuyasha, but I was not aware they could be considered friends." She raised a brow sardonically and sat in the chair across from him. "They did just meet on Saturday."

"When one take into consideration the… considerable _warmth_ they show each other, it is very hard to believe they have only known each other such a short time." Miroku smiled. "I had assumed the two were lovers, or at the least had known each other for years, honestly."

"Warmth? Inuyasha?" Sango raised her brow another few centimeters. "Are we talking about the same man? Even with Kikyou, he was never what you would call 'warm,' at least not openly."

"Allow me to explain," Miroku cajoled. "On Saturday, I heard a car pull up early in the morning. After a few hours, when I did not hear the car pull away, I went to investigate. As I approached the house I felt two _huge_ flares of power, one decidedly demon born and the other extraordinarily pure."

"How huge?" Sango interrupted.

"I have never felt power like this before."

"Shit." Sango shook her head and looked to Kaede apologetically. "Sorry Kaede!"

Kaede smiled. "Inuyasha says worse, unrepentantly of course."

"I can imagine," Miroku spoke up.

"So, young monk, tell me what you witnessed as you drew closer to this power?" Kaede urged him to continue.

"They had merely made a promise, apparently," the monk continued. "I had been worried that I would come upon a scene of destruction and chaos. But it was very calm and neither one of them realized what had truly happened."

"Kagome made a promise to Inuyasha?" Sango's face twisted in confusion and worry. "What kind of promise would she have made him?"

"Both promised something. Inuyasha promised that he wouldn't lie to her and Kagome promised she wouldn't doubt him." Miroku smirked. "They each promised in such a way that it will be impossible for either of them to lie to the other, for the rest of their lives. I feel that would make them friends."

"Or mortal enemies. What woman in their right mind would promise to believe everything a man says?" The girls face turned sour and Miroku felt the urge to erase the negative emotion from her face. "She didn't tell me about that. Why would she not tell me about it?"

"Perhaps," Kaede spoke up, "she did not want to worry you further."

Sango nodded and looked back over at Kaede. "How is she doing, by the way? She took a hard blow to her shoulder and I'd really wanted her to go to the hospital. But you know Kagome, worried about everyone but herself. She was so concerned about Inuyasha."

It was Miroku's turn to blink. _Was there an accident or something? _"When was she injured? What happened?"

"On Sunday, they were attacked on the road," Sango replied.

"What? Who would attack them? Why?"

"It was more of an assassination attempt," Kaede answered. "Apparently someone wants to get rid of Inuyasha."

* * *

It was unlike Sesshomaru to be late, but Inuyasha figured it was due to his new _human_ mate. He was still somewhat shocked at the idea. His half-brother, who hated humans, had taken a human woman as a mate. _Will wonders never cease?_

He sat at the kitchen table with his father, quietly drinking coffee and eating bagels. Toga Taisho had spent most of the previous day sleeping off jetlag and just resting in general. Today he was prepared to do what he could to help is youngest son with his quest and to protect the younger man from the threat that had been leveled against him.

Inuyasha, for his part, was looking forward to seeing Kagome again. His feelings for her were still a bit confused, but he was aware of a deep peace which he felt only in her presence.

A knock on the front door brought an end to his musings. He and his father looked at each other and headed for the door.

* * *

She was dancing again. But it was to _his_ tune, his "Dance of Blades." Soft music floated through the room, a sweet mixture of flutes and drums; her movements were just as delicate. With a flick of her wrist, she splayed the blades of her fans; they shimmered and fluttered in the low light. Her master stood and watched her, his gaze making her feel slightly ill. She hated it when he watched her. Clothed in nothing more than a loincloth, she unwillingly enacted his fantasy. He had choreographed this dance for specifically for her, drilled into her each slight nuance and each sweeping gesture. If anything were the slightest bit off, she would pay.

But Kagura knew better. She had sweat, cried, shed blood; the dance would be perfect. Each footfall would land _exactly_ where it should; each flutter of the fan would be as he had taught her. She would _not_ shed more blood for this monster.

As the sharp edges of the metal fans whispered across the skin of her bare midriff and breasts, she felt another presence enter the room, one stronger than her Master. Distracted by the new presence, she paused a breath longer than she should have. A roar from the dark-haired man watching her performance informed her of her mistake. He held her body in his power for a moment, tightening all her muscles until she cried out as the fans cut into her flesh. Lines of red appeared on her breasts and abs and blood trickled down her body as she bowed to him, apologizing for her absentmindedness.

"Brother," the new man intoned as he stroked the scarred skin of her back, "You know it is a waste to scar such a lovely creature." He forced her to stand and then caressed her wounds, sending shocks of pain through her body. Still, she stood motionless.

Her master grinned as the other licked her blood off his hand. "This one will not scar, not any more than she was born with," he replied. "And anyways, I can always create a new plaything if this one breaks."

"True."

**Author's Note:**

I've been very bad. I haven't been writing much and I haven't replied to ANY reviews… I hope ya'll don't hate me.

BTW, I'm totally faking my knowledge of Louisiana. I barely know how to spell the state, but I'm one of those people who watches nature programs and read National Geographic from 3rd grade on. So I figure I can fake it with something like that. As far as I know, Bonne Foret County doesn't exist; it was just something French that sounded right. It means "pretty forest." Chien Effrayant means "Scary Dog." :grins: hehehe I totally don't know a damn thing about the deep south other than it's WAY too muggy for me. I'll take my "high desert" in Colorado, thank you very much! And all of this was written before Katrina, so we're going to say that Bonne Foret County is about 4 hours north of New Orleans and NOT badly affected... Kinda weird that I was planning a hurricane scene in one of the up coming chapters! Spooky...

Oh, and I will be doing some work on continuity and suchsoon. I know there are some issues and I'm intending to print off the story, read it over and mark where the incongruancies are and FIX them! SO there will be an edit in the "near" future. After the wedding and honeymoon...

THANK YOU! All of you. The reviews really do mean a lot to me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And thank you Aine for mentioning that I need to update mine… And subtlescarsasm for again reminding me that people are actually reading this and that I'm being rude (though she totally did **_not_** put it that way, she was very sweet, as usual!) And a great big huge thank you to NordicaVB for analyzing my work. Don't hesitate to e-mail me if you have a question or comment. It's a much easier way to get a hold of me.

I'm a few weeks away from my wedding so things have been… hairy lately. I'm not abandoning the story, believe me… I'm just busy with life.


	13. Get Out of the Garden

Shaid is now a happily married woman! It's been a few months, and I know I should be updating but I kinda got a bit burned out. Hopefully, I won't stay that way and I'll be updating more frequently again. The truth of the matter is, I'm writing this for my pleasure only (and reviews. God I love reviews! It's almost better than crack… well, toddler crack. AKA Lucky Charms.) and real life takes precedence as well as my original works.

A friend of my husband's mentioned that he was interested in illustrating children's stories. Because I'm a toddler teacher, I happen to have a few of those on the back burner of my mind, bubbling and fermenting. Recently, I've been working on those more often. I still haven't finished any of them, (my muse has the attention span of a crack baby) but they are in pretty good shape right now.

Other than that… Life is busy.

Do not, however, imagine that your reviews are falling on deaf ears. I feel honored and humbled by all the wonderful things people have had to say about my story. On that note… Enjoy.

OH! And I don't own these people! Takahashi-sama does!

* * *

Chapter 13:Get out of the Garden

_Royal palm  
Sweet alyssum  
Petting bamboo  
Orange jasmine  
Clitoria blue pea  
Downy jasmine  
Datura  
Frangipani  
Frangipani_

_Dividing Canaan  
Piece by Piece_

Lyrics: _Datura_ by Tori Amos

* * *

The pride he took in his sons was, while entirely justified in his opinion, possibly a bit on the excessive side. Toga knew his sons had their faults, just as he himself had many faults, yet in his sons he saw the best of himself and the best of the women he had loved. While both of them resembled him physically; it was their mothers he saw in their personalities and actions. It was these small things of which he was proud, these reminders that he cherished.

Sesshomaru was the personification of Min's intelligence and grace, his cool calm a reflection of her own quiet composure. Min had lent him her royal blood, her aristocratic air and the strength of character to stand victorious in the face of adversity.

His other son was the polar opposite. In Inuyasha's joyful laughter, he heard echoes of Izayoi's mischievous charm. Both burned with an intensity most youkai could not understand easily. Not that either lacked intelligence, far from it, but both were very aware of the brevity of the moment, of how quickly time passed and how precious life and love were. Toga supposed it was because both were so aware of their own mortality.

Of course, the Inuyasha who greeted him the morning he arrived at Rinoko manor was not the vibrant hanyou he'd raised. Fire still burned in his molten gold eyes, true, but it was mingled with pain, regret and guilt.

Dawn was just breaking as he'd pulled up the drive lost in the memory of the first time he'd taken this road nearly two centuries ago. He'd felt the pull of her soul then. It had been centuries, but he knew the sensation, knew that the reincarnation of his life mate was here, waiting for him.

As he parked his rented SUV in the drive and gathered his small bag from the passenger seat, he wondered how long he would have to wait for her to be born again, or if he would follow her this time; fade into oblivion and be reborn again _with_ her.

As he left the front seat and closed the door, he realized that Inuyasha was sitting on the porch waiting. His lean frame lounged on the top step, knees hiked up, clawed hands hanging carelessly between them. The younger man shook his hair out of him face and Toga caught a glimpse of gleaming fang as the boy (he would always be a "boy" to his father) smirked.

"Keh. You're about two hours late, Otou," he grumbled, still smirking. "As fucking usual."

"And _your_ Japanese still sucks," he retorted, standing at the bottom of the steps. "Can't really blame you, though. You only spent a week there when you were three and even then your mother and I only spoke English to you. But it has been more than thirty years and you are Japanese on _both_ sides. One would expect you might want to learn even just a _little_ of the language if only to understand your heritage a little."

"Nag, nag, nag." The boy's smirk widened to a grin as he stood. "Is that all you came here for?" Toga smiled in response, climbing the steps to stand beside his son, noting absently that the boy was still slightly shorter than him.

"Keh. Of course not!" He put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "It's good to see you, Yash." The look in his son's eyes was hard to bear and he wondered for a moment why he hadn't noticed it months ago. Guiltily, he realized his own grief over the loss of his mate had been his sole focus while Yash had stayed with him. For a second he saw Inuyasha as he'd been three decades ago, a small, helpless boy, and was unable to keep himself from pulling him into a rough hug.

"I'm ok, Dad," Inuyasha said quietly, briefly returning the embrace.

"No, you're not," Toga replied, backing away and gently cuffing him near his ear.

"Ok. No, I'm pretty well fucked right now. Physically speaking, though, I'm ok. See!" He held up callused hands and displayed them, moving slightly to show there was no lasting injury. "All healed."

"And the girl?"

"Fucking Kagome no baka." He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Bruised fucking collarbone because I wasn't fast enough to get her out of the way. Had the bike going way too fast, though and she's real lucky to still be alive." Yash looked off into the trees, trying to hide the fear in his eyes. "I was doing seventy on that fucking backwoods highway near Maire's. Fortunately something made me slow down. Actually the thought of hitting a slick and skidding out scared the crap out of me. Thrown from the bike at that speed, she would have been killed instantly. The image of her all broken and bloody freaked me out and I started to slow. So when we hit the tree Goshinki had downed in the road, we were going about twenty. She got scraped up a bit on the leg that hit the tree and got cracked on the shoulder good when that asshole decided to lash out at her first."

"She was attacked first?"

"Hnn. I think he would have tried to hit her again if I hadn't thrown her off the bike and told her to run." Yash looked up at his father and sighed. "Dad, you just got in and it had to be a long flight. I got the blue room ready for you. Go rest. I'll tell you everything later, after you've slept for a bit."

"Yash…" Toga began, but Yash cut him off.

"I know, you're full youkai, you don't really need to sleep. But you'll be less likely to over-react to things and I need to think a bit. You know, sort things out." It was Toga's turn to sigh.

"Don't take too long." He turned and walked into the house, Yash close on his heels. "I'd like to meet Kagome, by the way."

"Keh. Don't worry," Inuyasha snorted, "That nosey little bitch will be sniffing around here any day now. She's just too curious for her own fucking good."

* * *

Kagome wrestled with her power. It seemed slippery and elusive, though now it was feeling more solid under her "touch." Kaede had told her it could take weeks for her to learn to control the affects in a predictable manner and that until that time she was under no circumstances to use it indiscriminately. She was allowed to "see" and little else. It was frustrating. Since childhood she had used her powers instinctively, unaware until recently what she was really doing. There was not a time in her life she could not remember being able to sense and touch those around her.

This morning she was supposed to be working on creating a physical manifestation of her power, be it a levitating plant, a ball of light or a soft, gentle breeze rattling the leaves in the enclosed greenhouse. Kagome was not entirely sure it was possible. She'd been working on it for five hours with no success and was now extremely frustrated.

"Self doubt is a formidable enemy," Kaede intoned, "But you must cast it aside, child. Feel the strength of your power flow through you, feel how bright and wonderful it is." Kagome closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "Take joy in it, be delighted, and let it merely exist." She allowed herself to feel the strength of it, remembered the joy when she'd first felt her power stir. And then she let it be. She stopped forcing, stopped pushing and stopped molding and just allowed it to be what it was. Sighing out, she cupped her hands before her and imagined that her power was just sitting there, floating above her outstretched hands.

"Open your eyes, Kagome."

As she allowed her eyes to drift slowly open, she grinned at the sight before her. Floating above her hands was a bubble, delicate and ephemeral, but tinged with the same pinkish-purple light she saw in her mind's eye every time she tapped into her miko abilities. She laughed and the bubble floated away to burst in a shower of sparkles as it touched a frangipani tree. Kaede smiled and shooed the girl out of the building.

"Enough work! Go, relax a bit!"

Kagome didn't need to be told twice. Feeling somewhat drained, she went into the house to grab another cup of coffee and a sweet roll. After careful consideration (and a great deal of begging from her niece), Kaede had decided that rolls and muffins were still quite appropriate for a miko-in-training. It was nearly eleven-thirty in the morning and while she was generally making rounds about now, Kaede had called her clients to tell them Kagome was taking a few days off to take a refresher course. Yesterday, she had stopped by her gardens to give her regular clients a few last minute instructions and then had simply parked by the river and sat on the bank, dangling her feet in the water. It had felt wonderful to have nothing to do for a while, but she was already itching to get her hands back in the soil and help things grow.

As she sat in the kitchen, she realized she had not spoken to Inuyasha in several days. She was slightly concerned about him; after all, they had both been attacked the last time she had seen him. He had assured her when he'd dropped her off on Sunday that he was already nearly healed and would be fine, but he would call to check on her in a few days. A few days had passed and there had been no phone call. Now it was time for an impromptu visit, one that would have the half- demon growling and glaring at her. Despite her growing feelings for him, she loved making him upset. He was just too cute that way. Smiling in anticipation, she gulped her coffee, grabbed her keys and set off.

Five minutes later found her pulling onto the wooded drive of Rinoko Manor. She drove slowly, appreciating the feel of the cool sun-dappled shade moving over her. When the trees parted to reveal the house, she was surprised to see two unfamiliar cars in the drive, both obviously rentals. One was a modest SUV but the other was decidedly a luxury car. Kagome parked behind the latter, grimacing slightly at how her battered jeep looked beside the sleek little roadster.

A little nervous, Kagome got out of her car and climbed the stoop, again missing the loose stone on the third step. She brushed hastily at her sweat pants and tank top, hoping that his guests were the casual type. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door opened. The man standing in the doorway, though decidedly white-haired and golden eyed, was _not_ Inuyasha. He was much older and definitely a taiyoukai.

"I'm sorry," Kagome stammered, "I'm interrupting! I'll go now!" As she turned to leave, she heard a familiar, and very out of place voice call from inside.

"Kagome?" Turning back she saw a face she hadn't seen in years.

"Rin?"

"Kagome!" Rin squealed and wrapped her arms around the other girl. "Eeee! I'm so excited to see you! I told Sessh he'd get to meet you sooner than he'd thought!" Kagome hugged her cousin back and smiled. "Guess what!"

"What?" the older girl asked. Rin just grinned. "What!"

"You have to guess," Rin pouted.

"You're the girl Sesshomaru called Inuyasha about?" Kagome guessed wildly, a little perplexed by the younger girl's presence. Rin had been living in California the last she'd heard.

"Aw! You guessed!"

Kagome did a double take. "What? You're kidding! How do you know Sesshomaru?"

"Well, you see," Rin explained, "I met Sesshomaru by accident a few months ago when he knocked me into the way of a bus. I probably would have been killed but he totally saved my life. Of course, he disappeared before I could thank him, but the next day I go into my office and there he is and-"

"She's my mate." The voice was cold and Kagome looked up behind her smaller cousin in shock. Behind Rin was Sesshomaru, tall and slender and impeccably dressed in a loose white silk shirt and tailored khaki slacks. He looked like a GQ model, sockless loafered feet and all.

She suddenly noticed that all three of the Tai men were standing on the porch. _Good lord_, she thought. _They're all beautiful!_ She felt it was a bit strange to use the word beautiful to describe a man, but with these men, the word fit. All of them had the same long silver hair and sharp golden eyes but each had slightly different markings. The most obvious were Inuyasha's hanyou ears, the mark of his half human heritage, however Sesshomaru and the Inu no Taisho also had unique markings; both had stripes on their cheeks but the younger youkai also had a bluish crescent moon on his forehead. All three towered well above Kagome's head, Inuyasha being the shortest, but not by much. What struck Kagome the most though was the sheer, unadulterated power they projected. Alone, each would be intimidating, but together they were a very formidable group.

Suddenly the man who had opened the door stretched out his hand to her, a smile on his face. "Toga Tai," he introduced himself. "I'm Yash's father, if you hadn't guessed. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kagome." She took his hand and shook it, noticing that it was only slightly less calloused than that of his younger son.

"It's an honor, Mr. Tai," she replied, still a bit dazed. "Aunt Kaede will be glad to hear you're in town."

"Just Toga, please." He smiled. "Kaede will be getting a visit from me in a few days. I've heard a bit about you from both your cousin and Yash. You did a beautiful job on the flowerbeds. Izzy would have been thrilled." A sad looked entered his eyes and Kagome suppressed the urge to send out a trickle of soothing energy.

"I'm afraid I'll be unable to work on it for a while, sir. My aunt and I just started on some more _formal_ training and I'm not supposed to use my powers for much right now. Actually, it seems I've got to re-learn everything so I'm not allowed use them _at all_ for a while."

"Feh," Inuyasha sneered from the doorway. "Is that old bat finally giving you some real training?" Sesshomaru hit him upside the head. "What?" the hanyou shouted. "Like you've never called her worse yourself!" He shook himself and glared at his older brother. "Jackass," he muttered.

"Kagome, meet my half-brother, Sesshomaru the asshole. You met my father and you know Rin so we don't need to stand here on my porch staring at each other. Get your skinny ass into the house and we'll all sit down for a nice little chat." He grinned sarcastically at the last and took her arm, leading her though the door and into the house.

* * *

Inuyasha could feel his father's glare on the back of his neck. It was damn uncomfortable and he knew it was meant to be. _Yes, I treat her like shit_, he wanted to shout to his father. _No, I don't give her any of the respect she deserves. If I did, the bitch would worm her way into my head and my heart and there would be no letting her go when the time comes._ He sighed dejectedly inside. _I can't have her. I don't dare love her; as much as I can feel the feeling beginning, I know it can never lead anywhere. I don't fucking deserve her. Not after…_ He cut off the thought and sneered at himself.

Even in his frustration, he was gentle with her. The grip on her arm was loose and he'd pulled her just hard enough to get her moving, then had merely lead her. Her skin was soft under his hand and he could smell the wonderful aroma of soap, sunshine and Kagome.

Sesshomaru and his mate were disapproving as well. Rin looking at him as if he's grown a third head and his brother- well Sesshomaru disapproved of him in general, so it probably had _nothing_ to do with his treatment of Kagome and everything to do with the fact that he existed.

Rin, herself was another matter altogether. Inuyasha had been completely shocked at his brother's choice of a mate. She was sweet, sunny and bubbly. Maire hadn't been far off when she'd called the girl a beach bunny, though this girl was much more of a forest sprite. And she was young! She looked like she was barely out of her teens and innocent as a child. Still, she was definitely Sesshomaru's mate; Inuyasha could smell the bastard all over her. And he really didn't want to know how the scent had gotten there.

He led the group to the living room and ushered Kagome to a chair on the far side of the room. He knew that the defensive position he took, standing behind her chair, was a clear indicator of his feelings towards the girl, but he really didn't care. He was falling fast and hard, fighting it all the way.

Rin looked at him with some trepidation and then rolled her eyes, turning her attention to her cousin again. "I'm so glad to see you, Kags! It's been far too long since the last reunion. You know I've been running Mom's cosmetic's company lately. Mom was so excited I think she told _everyone_. Daddy said that if I run it into the ground, he'd disown me. I doubt it would actually happen, but I don't really want to fail at this either, which was why I hired Sesshy." Kagome smiled at the younger girl's ramble and nodded understandingly. "I like the product Mom made and I think I can do good things with the company. Sesshy has been so much help with getting everything together and squared away. He's just wonderful! So, I hear Aunt Shannon had you move out here because of some guy stalking you?" Rin's question grabbed Inuyasha's attention instantly.

"Stalking?" he asked. "This is the second time I've heard a stalker mentioned and I'd really like to know what's going on." He glared at Kagome a bit but she ignored him.

Rin grinned wryly at him and gave him a knowing wink. "I'm sure you do. All I know is that a few of the guys Kagome dated got obsessed and refused to leave her alone afterward or believe it was over."

"Actually, one of them I never really dated," Kagome interjected.

"Was that Hojo or Kouga?"

"Hojo. The day I left he was still calling me to ask if I wanted to go out. And the presents… God, he kept binging me strange presents; especially after he found out my family had miko blood." She wrinkled her nose and leaned back into the chair. "Koga was getting too possessive too quickly and I wasn't all that into him anyway." Kagome sighed. "I went on three dates with him before he asked me to marry him. He got all bent out of shape when I declined."

Rin shook her head. "Which is why I avoid wolf demons." All three youkai looked at her. "No really, they're weird." Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "She didn't even sleep with the guy and he kept claiming she was his 'woman.' The way he said it made him sound like he was mildly retarded. Honestly, it was creepy." Kagome nodded. "Didn't he carry around a picture of you or something? He showed it to everyone, I heard. Or is that just the way your mom tells it?"

"No, he really did show it to everyone. Apparently, he snuck into my house and took a picture of me sleeping, then kept it in his wallet." She shuddered. "I'm really glad to be far, _far_ away from that one!" Kagome's eyes went wide for a moment and she turned to look up at him. "Oh my god, the pictures! Inuyasha, I completely forgot to ask you about them!"

"What the fuck are you babbling about, wench?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and glared at her.

"A few days ago," she explained, "I found three pictures taped to my bathroom mirror. Since they're pictures of me working in your yard, I was wondering if you knew anything about them."

"What?" the hanyou roared.

"I'll take that as a no. I was afraid of that."

"When did you get these pictures? Where are they?"

"Monday morning and they're in my room. They're from different angles, one from out in the yard, one a bit closer and one from under the porch."

"Under the porch? Did you hear or see anyone? Sense anything in the area? Could it have been Miroku?"

"I didn't really sense anything. I mean, I did sense Miroku there, but it was just before I stopped working for the day. We sat and talked for a few minutes."

Inuyasha nodded, he remembered that. He hadn't sensed anyone on the property either. "Why the fuck did you not tell me this earlier, bitch?"

"Well gee, I dunno, I guess maybe because I haven't even heard from you since Sunday when we were attacked. Which is fine because I haven't been worried about you _at all_! I've been spending the last few days stuck doing the remedial training you 'encouraged' my elderly aunt to start me on!" The last few words were shouted and she seemed to have forgotten they had an audience.

"It's for your own god damn fucking good!" he shouted back at her, ignoring the looks his father was giving him. She was standing now, toe to toe with him; eyes flashing, cheeks flushed and angry as all hell. She was completely beautiful. Forget the audience, right now all he wanted to do was drag her against him and kiss her senseless. "Maybe next time you try to heal someone you won't nearly fucking kill yourself!"

"Maybe _you_ should mind your own business! I've done just fine for the past twenty-one years without you there to hold my hand!" she screamed.

_ You fucking _**are**_ my business!_ he wanted to scream. But the words caught in his throat as he heard his father cough to interrupt. He turned away from her then, stepping back and taking a deep breath. Shaking himself to calm the youki he knew was gathering, he glanced over at his father. The older man sat calmly and shook his head, but the look on his face promised that there would be a very long talk soon.

_ Fucking hell_, he thought to himself, _just what I fucking need_. What he _needed_ was to get out of the room, away from prying eyes and sharp ears and into a setting where he could think. He wanted Kagome with him, though and that might be a challenge. She had turned away from him as well and sat back down in the chair he'd placed her in. All of a sudden he remembered something.

"The disk." He put his hand on her shoulder and looked down at her. "Do you have it?" She patted at the pockets of her sweatpants and grinned triumphantly, pulling the disk out to wave in his general direction. Inuyasha grinned back. "Alright then. We've got work to do."

* * *

Kagome allowed Inuyasha to usher her into his office. It was a small, cluttered room but Kagome felt comfortable there. She put the disk into the drive of the computer on is desk and set about opening it.

The e-mail was still blank. Kagome frowned. It was blank, but it was nearly six pages in Word. She tapped at the desk.

"Why would Kikyou send me six pages of nothing?" she mused aloud. Inuyasha frowned at her and then looked thoughtfully at the screen. "She wouldn't. There is something on this page. She just hid it."

"The question is how did she hide it and why. It's not an encrypted file, it's just a plank page."

"What if it's not blank?"

"Huh?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "Kikyou was a bio-chemist but when she was younger, she was fascinated by invisible ink. A few times, she sent me letters in invisible ink, usually when it had something to do with Miko powers, which she knew my mom would disapprove of. She would send me a clue and I'd be expected to figure it out." She chewed on her lip and looked at the file. "This is the same thing. She just never got around to sending me the clue."

"So what do you propose doing?"

"Well, because I'm not a chemist or even remotely scientifically inclined, she usually made the code easy. You know, hold the page up to something hot or rub it down with Windex. She probably did something similar here." Kagome highlighted the entire page and then got out the color tool. "What if all she did was make the text white? It's simple, quick and hides anything she might have typed."

Selecting blue, she then proceeded to look over the file. She was rewarded on page four. Set to the right was a single line. It was a webpage. There were spaces at odd points so that it wouldn't have shown up if someone were to just scan over it with a mouse, but sure enough, it was a web address.

"I'll be damned," muttered Inuyasha. "A clue. Finally, a fucking clue!"

A/N:

Woohoo! The first clue! But not the last. Kikyou is quite the cagey little thing.

I would very much like to thank Aine of Knockaine for her help with this chapter. I was stuck and after reading the chapter, she gave me a few suggestions that, honestly, helped a hell of a lot! And yes, I put Kouga in. I'm not fond of the bastard, but he serves his purpose, just as Kikyou does.

Next chapter: Kagome is "taking the steps" Kikyou laid out for her.


	14. The Clouds Are Building Outside

EEEEK! It's been months! My B-day is today, btw; I'll be older than I was last year. I got one of my birthday presents a bit early. My parents bought me a laptop. I've named it Jack. Mainly because the desktop my father gave it was Jack Sparrow running from the cannibals. Cannibals are funny, savvy? Of course pygmy cannibals are funnier…

I don't own these characters, Takahashi-Sama does. I don't own any music either. I do, however, own Maire.

Chapter 14: The Killer Inside

…_And she believes in me.  
Well, she believes that time can make things right.  
And I want to believe that there's been a change in me.  
Chorus:  
And I hope that she believes.  
Yes, I wonder if she sees the killer inside me.  
_Lyrics: "The Killer Inside" by Better Than Ezra

Rin blinked as Inuyasha dragged her cousin from the room.

"What on earth was _that_ all about?" _And why did I feel as if I was witnessing some sort of intimate moment? That shouting match, it was like foreplay! And the look on Inuyasha's face…_ Rin had never seen such clear, raw pain on any being's face before. Neither had she ever before seen the kind of desire she saw in his eyes when he looked at Kagome. _I'm not the only one in the family who's going to have a demon mate._ Shaking herself, she turned to look at her mate and her new father-in-law, an expression of confusion on her face.

"Kagome is helping him search for clues to see if they can solve Kikyou's murder. Unfortunately, Yash can get a little… caught up in things at times." Toga shrugged and smiled sadly at her. "I think he gets it from me."

Sesshomaru sneered in the direction the two had left in, his clenched fist belying his relaxed posture. "Father, please do not make excuses for him. Inuyasha is rude, insensitive and oblivious to propriety in all its forms. There is little more to it than that and I for one am more than a little sick of it. As much as I disliked the fact that his mother was human, she was a credit to her race and decidedly taught him better manners. He has insulted my mate and her cousin. I would fully be within my rights as both his superior and his elder to demand an apology."

"Sesshomaru," his father warned lightly, "you were not present for much of Inuyasha's formative years and so have no understanding of the prejudice and hate he faced on a daily basis, from both demons and humans. His mother and myself did as much as we could to prevent him from being exposed to it, but the fact remains that he _was_ shaped by those experiences. While that does not excuse his behavior, it does explain some of it."

Rin bit her lip, concerned that she was witnessing an argument between her beloved and his father. Although she had met him less than an hour ago, she had immediately liked her father-in-law and had felt quite at ease in his presence. For a while, she had been concerned that he would look down on her for effectively marrying Sesshomaru before even meeting the family, but he had welcomed her with open arms, literally. She could tell that he adored both of his sons, though he seemed a bit at a loss with Sesshomaru's coldness at times. He appeared to be in his late fifties, though she knew he was much older than that. There were slight smile lines at the corners of his mouth and eyes. Those lines set her at ease, telling her that he enjoyed life and knew how to laugh and love. It gave her hope. _Maybe someday Sesshy will have smile lines as well…_

"Father," she intoned politely, hoping to divert the attention of both men. "I am so honored to finally meet you. My mate holds you in very high esteem and I can see why. Your devotion and love for your family, even when you are upset with them, is obvious and beautiful." She smiled sweetly at him and laid her hand on her mate's thigh, low enough to be proper but high enough to shut him up.

_Love him to death, but if he keeps trying to get in an argument with someone, he's going to have one with me. He's the alpha male everywhere but here and it stings for him to acknowledge that, I know. _ She sighed internally and glanced over at her mate._ He's chomping at the bit for a fight but maybe I can distract them both for a while… _ She turned her full attention to her father-in-law then. "I'm aware of a link between our families but I'm unsure when it began or why. Perhaps you would care to explain?"

"I would be honored, Daughter. It's a very long story, though and even Sesshomaru is unaware of much of it." Rin saw her mate raise an eyebrow at that. "It began over a thousand years ago when I first met Midoriko."

"I was not aware you were acquainted with Midoriko, Father," Sesshomaru interrupted. "She was a very powerful miko, was she not?"

Rin nodded. "She was the most powerful miko of my line. I've heard that only Kikyou ever came close to rivaling her powers." She saw the taiyoukai smile at that.

"Oh, I think Kagome might be a close second," Toga smiled. "Actually, I believe Kagome might be her reincarnation. As she came up the steps, I felt a familiar soul approaching and when I saw her it was obvious whom she was. It would only make sense, really. Inuyasha is the reincarnation of Midoriko's mate. They would naturally be drawn together."

"Father? I'm a bit confused here. Midoriko, the legendary miko, had a demon mate?"

"Three-quarters demon actually. Masaharu's mother was a hanyou."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his father. "I recognize that name. I had a playmate named Shiori and I believe her father was called Masaharu?"

"Yes, she was named for her grandmother," Toga confirmed. "Shiori the hanyou died before Masaharu could reach adulthood."

"So I also knew the great Midoriko?" Sesshomaru shook his head confusedly. "I vaguely remember the girl's mother but the face of her father is a blank to me. Something happened to them, I remember that. But I was little more than a pup."

Toga nodded. "You were a little older than six when we lost them. Min insisted that you not be told about what had happened. She felt that it would be traumatic for you and asked that I never discuss it with you unless you asked."

"I am asking now."

Toga sighed. "It was meant as an attack on me, truly. Masaharu's rank insured that he was constantly being threatened. But he was strong enough to defeat almost any opposition and I didn't worry much for him. His mate was strong as well and as much as my courtiers feared her, I felt she was a good addition to the court. She was wise and I trusted her counsel. It was she who encouraged me to take Min as my mate.

"Shiori was only a few months younger than you, Sessh. The two of you kept the court busy and we didn't notice the threat until it was too late. There was an uprising; many lesser youkai and oni felt threatened by Shiori's parents and their influence over me.

"While Midoriko took her daughter to see their human family, there was an attack on their village. I felt Masaharu call out to me and I rushed to his aid but I was too late; by the time I got there he was gone. He had died defending his mate and child, both of whom were fatally wounded. The whole village was slaughtered; the only survivor of the attack was Midoriko's great-niece, Kada, a girl in her early teens. Her own miko powers had protected her, but had I arrived a moment later, she would also have died.

"As she lay dying, Midoriko drew a promise from me; I would defend her line, protect and nurture them through the generations." Toga smiled up at his Rin and she thought he saw tears in his eyes. "As you can see, I kept my promise. Her line lives on in Rin and Kagome and nearly a hundred others. Because of Midoriko, they were like my own family to me. I could do no less."

A great sadness welled within Rin and in that instant she knew that Masaharu had been more than just a friend to Toga. She moved to his side and knelt before him, holding his clawed hands in her own. He held her hands back and lightly squeezed them.

"Izayoi," she whispered. "She and Min and Shiori the hanyou; they were all the same woman. They all had the same soul."

"Yes," he whispered, almost too softly for Sesshomaru to hear.

"And Masaharu was your son."

"Yes."

Rin took her hands from him then, sat beside him and wrapped an arm around his back. "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't mean to remind you of this pain. Please forgive me." Rin leaned her head against him and smiled as she noticed that Sesshomaru had joined them on the small loveseat, his hand on his father's shoulder.

"I had not realized." The younger man's voice was tinged with a sadness that only those who knew him well would hear. "You have done well by your promise, Father and I am grateful."

"I was not a good father to you, Sessh. I allowed my grief for Masaharu to keep me from you. By the time I'd realized what I had done it was too late; you were grown and there was no way to take back the neglect."

"It was not until Inuyasha came along that I realized what my relationship with you lacked." Sesshomaru averted his eyes, looking towards the window as he spoke. Toga looked at his son and sighed.

"I truly apologize. There is nothing I can do now but-"

"Be a better grandfather than you were a father," Sesshomaru cut him off quickly. "It's the least you can do." Toga smiled and the gleam in his eyes should have warned his son.

"Already?" He looked back and forth between the blushing pair on either side of them. "You must not leave the bed very often." Rin blushed even more.

"Father!" Sesshomaru sputtered. "It is of course a possibility, but not extremely likely. True, her scent has changed, but it may just be the change in our status. I do not think either one of us is ready for… pups," he choked the last word out. Rin raised her own eyebrow, biting her lip to keep from laughing. _Well, he's certainly not ready for kids!_ "I feel like an old lecher admitting this, but Rin is barely out of puberty and I am-"

"Much older than I was when Masaharu was born." Toga grinned, winking at Rin. She rolled her eyes at him. Apparently teasing the slightly repressed Sessh was an old past time of his. "You know, Min was only forty when I took her as my mate. In demon terms, she was little more than a child. Izayoi of course was much younger; eighteen, I believe. Sessh, I was a grandfather at your age."

Sesshomaru's left eyebrow began to twitch, his slow to boil temper finally getting the better of him. "And you will be a grandfather again. But not now."

808080808080808080808080808080808080808

Inuyasha could do little more than stare at the screen, his attention captured by the line of blue text. _A clue! Finally, even if it's just one line, it's more than I had a week ago._ His heart was thumping so loud he was sure Kagome could hear it; still, he sat and stared at the screen for an endless moment, almost afraid to look away.

"So…" Kagome said, breaking the silence. "Do you want me to find the site? Or would you rather do it on your own?"

"I'd-" He paused a moment and cleared his throat. "I'd kinda like to do it myself, but since you're here, and we'll be sharing the info anyway, we can go to it now. Kikyou obviously wanted you involved." Kagome switched chairs with him, then scooted up to look over his shoulder.

The page contained a single image, a photo of Kikyou sitting on the stairs to Rinoko's front porch. She wore a pale grey skirt and a sleeveless white blouse. Even in the dead of summer, she'd looked cool and collected. The slight smile on her face was familiar; it was the smile he had felt was reserved only for him. _Was it really only for me? Or was it something she used often on whomever else she was screwing?_

Inuyasha remembered taking the picture; they had been on their way to a barbeque at a client's house. Kikyou had brought her camera along and Yash had scoffed at her.

"Why bring the damn thing? You never take any pictures," he remembered saying.

"But I might get inspired," she'd replied.

"You're never inspired. You're afraid of wasting film." He remembered taking the camera from her and waving her onto the steps. "Here, I'll take a picture. Then you'll have to take some more because otherwise it's a total waste of film." She'd rolled her eyes at him but complied.

Kagome cleared her throat and he realized he'd been glaring at the screen. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It's ok," she soothed, smiling at him. "I'm sorry there's not more here. I wonder if it was taking up too much bandwidth so they deleted most of the page?"

"Or maybe it's another clue."

Kagome looked at him a bit doubtfully. "It could be, but what could she be trying to say?"

"Well," Inuyasha hedged, "she's trying to get us to look for something, right? Maybe there's a hint in the picture?"

"It's a picture of her sitting on the steps of your house, Yash. There's not even anything else in the picture, just her and the steps."

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't know, Kagome. I remember taking that picture and something's telling me that there's more to this than just a picture on a webpage. I just have to remember what it is." He looked over at her and shrugged. "It's just a gut instinct, but I generally listen to my gut. It's rarely wrong."

Kagome grinned at him and winked. "That's 'cause it's usually asking for food."

He raised an eyebrow and she giggled. "And yours isn't? I seem to remember feeding you just about every time you've come over to my house, Miss Bottomless-pit." He leaned back and made a face. "You wanna go back out and see your cousin? Or do you wanna skip it seeing as my asshole brother will probably ruin any chance of you having a good time?" Kagome started to laugh in earnest.

"He's um…"

"An ass?" he prompted. Kagome shook her head. "A prick? Evil incarnate? Effeminate? The complete opposite of your bubbly little cousin?"

"The last one! I can't understand… I mean I'm sure that underneath that ice cold shell, he's a nice person, but Rin is…" Kagome shook her head. "She's sweetness personified. She's slightly empathic and can usually set a person at ease within a few moments. It's a skill she uses to her advantage as much as possible but rarely abuses. Not that she can't be mean or petty or even a little bit evil at times, but I've known her all her life; she's sweet and kindhearted most of the time. Sesshomaru scares me a bit."

"In what way does he scare you?" Inuyasha asked, a bit concerned. "I know I told you he sometimes eats raw demon meat, but that's a nutritional thing, honest. And yes, he's killed a few humans before, but you and Rin are of Midoriko's line. He's not _allowed_ to hurt you. Dad's got some strong rules about that one, the set in stone type."

She shook her head. "I'm not afraid he'd hurt me or Rin. It's just that… he's so cold but it's not much more than skin deep. Underneath, there's an inferno. I can see it raging, just barely in check. Someday that ice is going to melt and I don't want to see it."

"Dad says he's like his mother, Min;" he mused quietly, "refined but deadly. However, I've never ever seen him as protective of anything as he is of your cousin. Part of him is almost always touching her, even if it's just his leg as he sits next to her."

"Is that a youkai thing?"

Inuyasha frowned a bit. "Yes, sorta. It's kinda like he's making sure she's got his scent on her, as well as his powers protecting her. I've also seen humans act that way too, especially in a new relationship and he literally only took her as his mate a few days ago. I wouldn't want to stop touching my mate, either, with the bond that new. I've never seen Sesshomaru do anything like it before, though, so it disturbs me."

"Maybe he's never had a reason to." Kagome shrugged. "As cold as he is, he obviously adores her. And Rin seems pretty happy. I've never seen her smile the way she does at Sesshomaru."

He laughed, remembering greeting the new couple at the door this morning. "Sessh was almost civil to me this morning, you know? Maybe she'll be good for him. At least he'll learn to tolerate hanyou better." Kagome giggled at the grin on his face. "I have no doubt he'll be a father in no time, to a whole brood of hanyou."

"And Uncle Inuyasha will teach them all kinds of ways to torture their poor daddy, huh?" Kagome shook her head and smiled. "You're terrible."

"It'd be Uncle Yash. And yes, I will." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "You wouldn't happen to know any spells that would make me an uncle sooner, would you?

"Inuyasha!" She rolled her eyes at him and picked up a paperback from his desk to throw at him. He caught the book and tossed it behind her back on the desk, then grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hall, laughing.

He'd made sure his grip was gentle so he was surprised when she started to pull her hand away.

"Inuyasha, let go."

"What? Did I hurt you?" He looked at her hand but there weren't any red marks or scratches. When he looked up at her face, she averted her eyes.

"No. Just- please let go." She looked back up at him briefly but turned away again, tugging her hand back. He felt as if she'd slapped him. _She's just like the rest of them_, he thought. _Damn it, I'd thought she was different._

"Don't want the hanyou to touch your pure skin, huh?" he snarled, throwing her hand down.

"Argh! You idiot!" she shouted, "It's not that at all!"

"Then what is it? You were all laughing and shit until I touched you, then you turned all ice bitch," he snarled, trying to hide his hurt with a menacing look.

"You are _such_ an idiot," she cried. "I'm an idiot. Yash, I was having fun with you! Too much fun. I like you a lot and I don't want to ruin the friendship we've got started here with a stupid thing like wanting you. It's not right! For one thing, I just met you; I don't even know you, for gods sakes! And I don't sleep around, so that aspect of this kinda disturbs me. You've been through too much to have to deal with some loony kid looking for more from you than you're ready to give. For another, do you have any idea how strange it feels to want to jump your dead cousin's fiancé?"

His heart nearly stopped. _Did she just say what I think she just said? Oh sweet fucking gods don't do this to me!_ Inuyasha took a deep breath. "No stranger than it feels to want to jump your dead fiancé's cousin, I'm sure."

"What did you just say?" Inuyasha could hear her heartbeat speed up, could feel the heat from her body intensify. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes grew wide. It took all his will power not to crush her to him right there.

"You heard me, bitch."

"Don't call me 'bitch'." She glared at him. He glared right back.

"I'll call you whatever the fuck I want, bitch," he growled, stepping towards her. _Back off, Kagome_, he thought at her, _back off and I can calm down_. But of course, she didn't back off.

"How dare you!" she fumed, stepping closer to him, craning her neck to look up at him with snapping brown eyes. She stood there in his hallway in a pair of sweats and a tank top, her hair wild with no makeup and only her natural scent on her skin. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. Her anger just made her all that much more alluring. "First you accuse me of not wanting you to touch me because of your heritage, as if I was some sort of racist or something! Which forces me to confess something I would rather not have admitted. Then you admit to wanting me as much as I want you and when I express disbelief you jump down my throat, call me a bitch and then spout some macho bull-"

She didn't get any further because he'd swiftly closed the few inches that separated them and locked his mouth to hers.

She tasted of cinnamon, coffee and an underlying sweetness that was pure Kagome. For a moment she froze, as if in protest or in shock, but she soon started to return the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as he gripped her waist. Slowly, he pulled her closer, wanting to feel her against all of him. She felt wonderful, her curves fitting perfectly to his hard muscles. When she released a small sigh of pleasure, his heart rate jumped. Her hands traced patterns on his neck and back, then moved up into his thick white hair.

The soft touch of her tongue to his lips encouraged him to deepen the kiss. Slightly surprised by her sudden forwardness, he opened his mouth to her, allowing her to explore the contours of his mouth before he took the kiss back over. He could hear and feel the racing of her heart as she slowly ran her tongue over his fangs and teased his own tongue with gentle prodding and delicious friction.

With a groan he pulled her even closer, one hand pressing into the hollow at the small of her back and the other sliding up her back to cup her neck. She shivered and replied with a moan of her own before he felt her fingers slide up his head to his ears. His eyes about rolled back into his head and his knees nearly buckled. He leaned heavily against her until they were both backed up against the wall. She was plastered to him like wet paper and it felt damn good.

He broke from her lips to press kisses along her neck and behind her ear, nipping at her jaw as she gasped. He could feel himself tremble as she ran her fingers down his chest and over his abs then reach around and dig her fingers into his back, breathing his name.

"Kagome," he moaned. "Mmmm. Kagome, this is…"

"Wonderful," she breathed, her voice soft and husky.

"Yes, it is that…"

"Mmmm," she murmured, her lips teasing his jaw. _Damn it, I can barely see straight, _he thought_. How the hell am I supposed to tell her to stop when _**I **_don't want to?_

He pulled away from her and leaned his forehead against hers. Eyes tightly closed, he concentrated on just breathing for a moment and relished the feel of her against him. When he opened his eyes and saw the pain in hers, he knew he'd made a mistake.

"Kagome-"

"You regret it, don't you?" Her voice had a sad quaver in it that he'd never heard before, but knew he never wanted to hear again. "I'm sorry. I won't-" She started to pull away but he grabbed her upper arms and kept her in front of him.

"Not in the way you think," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "You're not some loony kid with a crush. I want you, Kagome. I'm starting to need you, as well. And I care about you, about what you think and how you are. I worry about you when you're not with me. It scares the crap out of me." He swallowed and leaned away from her a few inches, holding his hands out for her to see. "I used to think these were good hands. Good, strong hands. They've built and mended and protected. I want to use them to protect you, to give you what you want and need. But what if they did something unforgivable, Kagome?"

"You are not a killer!" He could smell her tears before he could see them and it tore at him. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "You are _not_ a killer," she whispered. He returned her embrace, breathing in the softly floral scent of her hair, wanting to stay there with her forever.

"Not consciously, not unless there's no other choice. But what if there's a killer inside me?"

**_Author's Note_**:

Hello! I've done something a bit strange here. Sorry! There is a reason and I'll tell you when I figure it out.

Then I did something else. I stole a name from Scathachdhu. In her story _Trust_, posted on mediaminerdotorg, Masaharu is Inuyasha and Sessh's father. _Trust_ is fairly lemony and so not possible to post on FFdotnet but I really loved it. I feel that the name here is a bit of a tribute to her because I just re-read _Trust_ recently and I love her Trigun story, _Not Quite Worthless_. She kinda never finished it, but I don't begrudge her that; we writers **_do_** have a life beyond fanfiction. Please forgive me for the name stealing, Scathachdhu, but the name came to mind as I was writing and it felt right.

I also want to apologize to ya'll for how many months it's been between updates. With my new (awesomely wonderful) job, my new house and how tired I've been lately, it's been hard to find time to write or even to be inspired.

If anyone can name the 80's fantasy movie I stole one of Inuyasha's lines from, you get to pat yourself on the back. You're as much of a dork as I am. J/K Hugs and kisses to you all!

Songs for this chapter: _The Killer Inside_ and_ A Southern Thing_, Better Than Ezra. _Shade _and _Ana's Song_, Silverchair. _All Along The Watch Tower_, Hendrix. _Are You Gonna Be My Girl_, Jet. _Hallelujah_, Rufus Wainright.

Next chapter: What is up with Kikyou's weird clues?


	15. Overcome

I'm updating, finally. Yay. Things have been rough lately and I haven't had much time for writing. When I'm in "emotional escape" mode I tend to read more than write so I've read a whole bunch of new stories and re-read a few old ones.

BTW, a big huge thanks to both AngelineL and Aine of Knockaine, both of whom helped me a lot with this chapter. Huge hugs to you both, girls!

_Italics_- thoughts, generally. Unless it's used for emphasis…

And I do not own Inuyasha or any of the songs mentioned as inspiration in this story.

* * *

The Killer Inside: 

Chapter 15: Overcome

"…_Disjointed, dust and silence_

_Quite at a loss_

_I feel strange_

_I feel changed_

_I feel strange_

_Overcome_

_Overcome by you…"_

"**_Overcome", Lyrics by Better Than Ezra_**

Her heart was pounding in her chest. The feel of solid planes of muscle against her curves was almost intoxicating, even with the layers of clothing between them. For a moment she was tempted to rip his shirt from him and revel in the feel of his skin against hers. The brief glimpse of his nudity a few days ago had fueled more than a few dreams and was now giving her some rather inappropriate thoughts. _Get your brain out of the gutter, 'Gome_, she told herself, trying to ignore just how much she was enjoying this. _This is serious here!_

Of course, it was her inappropriate thoughts which had brought them here. When Inuyasha had grabbed her hand to lead her from the room, Kagome had felt as if she'd been burned; the unexpected warmth of his skin, the relaxed feeling of their banter, the sheer rightness of the whole thing; it had all combined in a whirling rush. All of a sudden, desire had shot through her and the realization that she really had fallen hard for him had invaded her mind. _Dear gods, I'm falling in love_, she'd thought. Just as suddenly, however, she remembered the reason they'd met in the first place. _Kikyou_. It was like a bucket of ice water. Startled and more than a bit unnerved, she had pulled away in an effort to protect both of them. _The path to hell is paved with good intentions_, she thought morosely.

His arms, however, felt much more pleasant than any hell ever could or should. Wrapped around her, they felt _quite_ right and the strong beat of his heart underneath her ear was both familiar and strange. The kiss they had shared had left her disoriented. _Gods, that was just so amazing, _she thought._ I never thought I'd get to kiss him, ever. And he wants me…_ She trailed off, thinking of the rest of his confession.

"_What if there's a killer inside me?_"

Kagome looked up at him and nearly winced at the pain in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, she reached up and laid her hands on the sides of his face. Inuyasha lowered his head until their brows touched and closed his eyes.

"They're still good hands," she whispered, closing her own eyes. "I still trust these hands because I have trust in your heart." Her heart hammered as she reached up and kissed him gently, her lips barely brushing against his. Even that light touch sent a jolt through her. Opening her eyes again, she let out a sigh and brought her hands down to his shoulders. "Don't shut me out, Yash. Please don't shut me out."

"Kagome…"

"I trust you," she whispered. "I trust that you loved Kikyou. I trust that even if you were furious with her, even if you thought you hated her at the time, you would never have willingly killed her. I may have only known you for a short time but my instincts are telling me that I can trust you. And I do." She gently kissed him again and nuzzled his chin. "So trust me. OK?"

"I'm working on it." His voice sounded a bit petulant and he looked away, obviously trying not to blush. It was cute and made Kagome smile.

"That's all I ask, Inuyasha." Kagome sighed as she leaned against him again. She could feel his hands moving up and down over her back, his claws occasionally brushing against her. It felt so wonderful; she wondered how she could get him to do it more often.

"So… Um, does this mean we're… Uh…" she trailed off, unsure. Her voice sounded timid even to her own ears. She mentally cringed at the sound. _Don't blow it,_ she yelled at herself. Inuyasha looked down at her and raised a dark eyebrow. "Are we 'involved' now?" She chewed her lip nervously.

The hanyou frowned and looked off to the side, mumbling something.

"What was that?"

He looked directly at her, his amber eyes a bit darker than usual, a troubled look on his face. "I'd like to be, but I'm not sure it's such a good idea," he whispered.

Kagome could feel herself start to tremble. "Why?" she asked, trying to sound like she wasn't shaking like a leaf. As if he couldn't tell. _Shit! _She screamed inside. _Oh no! He doesn't really want me! Or maybe he does, and that's all there is to it. Crap! I must look like such a stupid kid to him!_

"Honestly, because I want to keep you safe and being involved with me might not be the safest thing for you," he whispered. Kagome shot him a look of exasperated disbelief. "I don't know what happened to Kikyou, Kagome. I might have killed her and I can't bear the thought that… What if I hurt you too?" His expression was pained. She blinked.

"Not going to happen."

"Bullshit," he snarled at her. "Hell, I could accidentally shred you in my sleep. I could crush you if I held you too tightly."

"But you won't." Her voice was firm. She leaned back against the wall and locked eyes with him. "You didn't do it to Kikyou, or any of the other women you slept with. And don't even try to tell me she was your first. Not to mention that neither you nor your father ever injured your mother. And Sesshomaru sure as hell hasn't hurt Rin. You know your own strength, Inuyasha, and you can control it. You're not going to hurt me."

"Goshinki-" Inuyasha started.

"Was trying to kill you, yes." Kagome was starting to get a bit aggravated with his excuses. It was all well and good that he was worried about her safety, but if there were other underlying reasons for his reluctance…. _Please, please, _she thought,_ let him just be worried about my safety… _"And yes, he got to me first. But I'm the weaker of the two of-"

"Exactly!" he shouted, startling her. "He would use you. If I became involved with you, with anyone, they would use you to get to me. Anyone looking to hurt me would go for the weakest link, my _human_ woman. The risk is-"

"The risk is the same as anyone else takes. Your father took the same risk with your mother. Yes, he lost her, but do you really think he wouldn't do it all over again? And Sesshomaru is taking the same risk with my cousin, even though I'm sure he feels he's in way over his head." He looked at her startled for a moment. She didn't give him time to interrupt her. "Not only that but, Yash, it goes both ways. If someone wanted to hurt me, they would go after you or my mother and brother or Aunt Kaede. Hell, they could even go after Sango! She's like a sister to me. That doesn't mean I'm going to push them all away in the hopes that they won't get hurt. Risk is a part of life."

"It's different when a woman is involved with a hanyou," he said softly.

"_That_ is a cop out," she hissed, eyes narrowed. "Not to mention that it's not even _remotely_ true and you know it. I've been involved with hanyou and youkai before and didn't notice more 'danger' around me. Hell, I feel safer in the company of someone with demon blood than I do with most ordinary humans!" She sighed and looked away from him, frowning. "I don't even know why I'm trying to convince you. I'm sorry, Yash. I just-"

She cut herself off and looked up at him for a moment. His eyes were conflicted, his expression tight. Kagome's lower lip trembled and she bit it, trying to calm herself. "I said I didn't want to be the little girl pushing you into more than you're ready for and that's just what I'm doing," she whispered. "If you don't want to be with me, you don't want to be with me and no amount of justification on my part can change that."

"Kagome." He put a hand to her face and smoothed his thumb over her cheek. "I- If anything happened to you… I _do_ want to be with you, Kagome. But I don't want to risk you getting hurt because of me." He pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms back around his waist.

"I'm not going to break, Inuyasha." She looked into his eyes, daring him to deny her. "I'm stronger than you think." With a sigh, she laid her head against his shoulder. _Please, please, _she thought,_ don't let that have been too bold! I want this so much!_ She could feel his breath on her ear.

"Slowly," she heard him whisper as he held her more tightly. "We need to take this very, very slowly, Kagome." He nuzzled his face against hers, forcing her to lift her head and look him in the eyes. "I'm damaged goods. Even if we don't find evidence that links me to Kikyou's death, I'm still going to be a mess."

"I'll stand by you, Inuyasha." She closed her eyes and rested her face against his, just wanting to feel his skin against hers. "So if we're taking it slow, would my asking you out on a date tomorrow night be too forward?" Kagome felt his laugh rumble in his chest.

"Probably not." He brushed his lips against hers.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow, Inuyasha?" she breathed.

"Yes."

* * *

It was rare for Sesshomaru to be displeased with the excellent quality of his senses, but today just seemed to be one of those days. 

It had started out pleasantly enough; a shower with his new mate, a drive through some quiet countryside. It was good to see his father as well; their last visit had been far too long ago. Rin had of course charmed Toga, just as Sesshomaru had told her she would. Even the initial meeting with his half-brother had been remarkably pleasant; neither had offered a death threat or a fight and the younger man had been reasonably well behaved. All in all, a pleasant day.

Until now.

Sesshomaru, as much as he hated the fact, was not unaware of what was going on in the hallway between Inuyasha and Kagome. To his great dismay and annoyance, he could hear the whole exchange. Even the brief silence between them was no respite, for as soon as he heard Kagome's small moan, he knew exactly what was going on between the two. He hid his sigh of annoyance; his half brother was a healthy male and the young woman in question was attractive, available and obviously felt _something_ for his half brother, though he couldn't understand why. Inuyasha's obvious attraction to the young miko was understandable; she was powerful and quite pretty, as humans went. He could even acknowledge the link between their souls would be quite a pull. He supposed their physical encounter was only natural. He just didn't want to _know_ about it.

A glance at his father, immersed in a conversation with Rin, told him Toga was also aware of the conversation. Their father spared him a momentary glance that spoke of his worry and confusion. It was not the said physical encounter occurring just down the hall Toga had concerns about, Sesshomaru was certain. Inuyasha was old enough to know what he was doing. However, their father would have much to say about Inuyasha's insecurities as well as the rough treatment of Kagome. The briefest of nods said volumes. There would be a conversation between the three of them and it would very likely not be pleasant.

Sesshomaru cursed the ears that could hear the painful conversation being held in the hall. Not to say that he did not have pity for Inuyasha's plight; the mere thought of Rin receiving an injury, of any type, alarmed him. He could not imagine how devastated he would be if he were to lose her. And if her death were on his hands…

Sesshomaru understood the desperateness his brother felt.

He was relieved to learn that the miko trusted the young hanyou regardless of the rumors and even Inuyasha's own self doubt. Her strong personality would be an asset to them in this endeavor, Sesshomaru was sure. Her willingness and determination to assist and defend Inuyasha would probably be the deciding factor in what seemed to him an almost hopeless situation. Honestly, though, as noble as his intentions were in denying her, Sesshomaru couldn't help but feel Inuyasha was being an idiot.

It was unlikely that knowing who had killed Kikyou would end the feelings of guilt Inuyasha still harboured. If it was proved that Inuyasha really had killed his fiancé, be it by his own claws or by his negligence, it would be a killing blow to his brother's sanity; a situation Sesshomaru wished to avoid. He only hoped that Inuyasha's growing feelings for Kagome, and hers for him, would somehow protect him from completely losing himself in that case.

In the mean time, Sesshomaru wished there was some way to un-hear the make-out session just down the hall.

* * *

The expression on Toga's face promised a seriously uncomfortable afternoon for Inuyasha. He inwardly cringed as he and Kagome walked into the room. It was instantly obvious both youkai had overheard their little tête à tête in the hallway. _Shit, I've been living alone among humans so long I'd forgotten how well Dad and Sess can actually hear_. He prayed he wasn't blushing as he guided Kagome back to her chair. Just a glance told him her lips were still fairly reddened and her hair looked a bit more tousled than it had when they'd left. _She looks like she's been thoroughly kissed, _he thought, trying not to blush to the roots of his hair._ I'll bet Dad's not nearly as pissed about hearing us make out as he is about the other things he heard._

Rin grinned knowingly at her cousin and Inuyasha frowned at her suspiciously. A slight snarl from Sesshomaru had him looking away from her the next moment.

"Kagome!" Rin squealed. "You have got to hear this! Toga was telling me the most interesting thing! Did you know that he's been protecting our family since before Sesshomaru was born? Midoriko actually introduced him to and convinced him to court Sessh's mother!" Inuyasha blinked as Toga laughed.

"Min was… quite intimidating, even to me," the older youkai sighed wistfully. "She was just so elegant and seemed so demure and untouchable. Until one got to know her that is," he laughed. "No matter what she looked like, she was always a spitfire." Inuyasha got the feeling he was missing something, that his father was discussing more than just Min. "You missed some family history I don't often discuss, Yash. Midoriko was mated to someone very close to me; their little girl was Sesshomaru's best friend. When the three of them were murdered, along with most of Midoriko's home village, I vowed to Midoriko I'd protect what was left of her family."

The bases of Inuyasha's ears tingled. There was something else his father wasn't saying. _There's more to that story, _he thought._ Something he doesn't want to tell me._

"So Midoriko wasn't our ancestor," his sister-in-law chirped, interrupting his train of thought. "She was a distant relation. Toga protected her cousin and that girl's daughter and so on and so forth up until present day! What I thought was really interesting was that great-great-great-grandmother was the first to have more than one child! And until Naomi, not one of them ever had a boy. It was a pure matriarchal line down through to just over a century ago!"

"It was unfortunate but ultimately made some things a bit easier on me. Of course, now that there are hundreds of you, it's gotten quite confusing. I'm no longer personally acquainted with the entire family, only a few." Toga smiled ruefully and shook his head. "But enough of this dull stuff! You mentioned something about a disk?"

Inuyasha nodded and noticed Kagome doing the same. "Kikyou sent me a strange e-mail just before I got word of her death," Kagome offered. "According to Yash, she'd been dead at least a day when it was sent to me. The _really_ funny thing about it though, was that it was blank."

"Blank?" Rin queried. "That's not like Kikyou. She always sent me these long formal e-mails that took forever to read. Actually, I thought they were kinda boring."

"Well, see, it wasn't all that unlike the Kikyou I knew," Kagome smiled. "She sent me blank letters all the time, most of them written in invisible ink. She usually only did that when she wanted to tell me something about miko stuff. I know it sounds a bit childish, but… it was just something Kikyou did. I think it made her feel like a spy sometimes. She knew how Mom felt about 'holy powers' and about Dad's family."

"Distrustful and paranoid?" Rin quipped.

"Rin," Kagome scolded, rolling her eyes. "Mom's not that bad about it. She just worries. Anyway, I didn't think anything of the blank e-mail, thinking she'd send me a hint to decoding it later on." She frowned and Inuyasha put a hand on her shoulder. "After her death, I kinda forgot about the e-mail. I never delete anything, though, so when Inuyasha asked me if I'd gotten anything strange from her just before her death, I was able to find it relatively quickly."

"I had her put it on a disk so I could look it over here," Inuyasha interrupted, "But we got distracted by something and I forgot the whole thing when I left her house. We both kept forgetting about it until today." _When I needed a timely escape_, he added to himself.

"What did you find in the e-mail?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Several empty pages until we changed the color of the font," Kagome replied.

"Which revealed a web address-" Inuyasha said.

"Where there was just a picture of Kikyou sitting on the front steps here," Kagome finished. "So we know she sent us some type of clue, but we have no idea what it means."

Rin sighed. "She always was weird."

"Rin…" Kagome scolded again. Inuyasha nearly winced, expecting Sesshomaru to comment on the reprimand. However, when he looked over at his brother, Sessh was mildly glaring at Rin, also scolding her. Rin _did_ wince.

"I'm sorry, it's not polite to speak ill of the dead. Especially in front of her former fiancé." She met Inuyasha's eyes. "Forgive me?"

Inuyasha blinked, a bit surprised. "Um, OK?" He looked at his new sister-in-law and then at his brother. Sesshomaru seemed pleased by Rin's apology, though he himself was still a bit confused. "I wasn't offended, Rin," he replied with a shrug. "I'm well aware Kikyou wasn't perfect. You're forgiven."

Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha noticed his father's frown. _Now what was that all about?_ he wondered. _Damn, I know I'm in for a lecture. I wonder how long I can delay it…_

"Rin," Kagome asked, dashing his hopes of avoiding a confrontation with his father. "Are you planning to see Kaede today?"

Rin frowned and looked over at Sesshomaru briefly. "I'd love to, but I'd also like to spend some time here; you know, getting to know the in-laws. And Sessh said he hasn't spent much time with his father lately…"

"Your family is also important, Rin." Sesshomaru glanced at Kagome then returned his gaze to his mate. "I would not be a good mate for you if I were to deny your connection to your family. If it would be agreeable to you, I could stay here with Inuyasha and our father for an hour or so while you visited with your aunt?"

"Would that be ok?" Rin asked, obviously concerned.

"Of course," his brother replied. "If Kagome is agreeable to driving you over, that is. Were you planning on returning to Musashi after this visit?"

Kagome blinked. "Honestly, I hadn't thought about it. My days are generally pretty full, what with my gardening business. With the forced 'vacation' and the training, my days are pretty open." She smiled at Sesshomaru. "I would love to take Rin home. It'll give us some time to catch up." She winked. "I've got some new additions to my wardrobe you are just going to love, Rin-chan." Rin beamed.

"Oooo!" Rin squealed. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru winced at the sound but Toga just laughed. "You're going to have to let me into your makeup horde as well. Shinuta has some wonderful new colors I think are going to look smashing on you!"

"Then it is agreed." Sesshomaru nodded. "Rin and Kagome will drive over to Musashi. In a few hours, Father, Inuyasha and I will arrive and visit with Elder Kaede."

"Shit, you make it sound so formal," Inuyasha snarled. "They just live next door, Sessh. You've know Kaede all her life; going over for a visit isn't like visiting royalty."

"Your brother's just nervous, Yash," Toga laughed. "You know how he gets; the more keyed up, the more formal and reserved. It's not every day you meet your in-laws."

"Oh, Fluffy, baby, it'll be alright," Rin crooned, humor in her eyes. "I'm sure Aunt Kaede won't mind that we essentially eloped and didn't even tell my parents about our new relationship." She grinned and moved closer to her mate, leaning over to whisper in his ear. "Not to mention that I could already be pregnant," she announced in a stage whisper.

Inuyasha could swear he saw Sesshomaru wince but the next moment Rin placed a kiss on his cheek and the look was gone. Before Inuyasha could laugh or even smile, his older brother fixed him with a glare that could freeze lava. _Damn, she's good for him, _he thought, laughing inside._ I hope she can figure out how to get that stick out of his ass._

"You're calling your parents tonight."

"Of course, my mate." Rin beamed. "I'll just go freshen up and head over to Musashi, ok? Inuyasha, where's the rest room?"

"Out that door, to your left and down the hall," he pointed. "Second door on the left."

Rin nodded. "I'll meet you out at your car, Kag-chan?"

"Ok!" Kagome stood and turned to look at him as her cousin passed. "Will you walk me out, Yash?" she whispered. It was as if a fist had hit him in the gut the moment her eyes met his, stealing his breath. All he could do was nod.

_Gods, she is so…_ His thoughts trailed off and for a moment all he could do was look at her. Then she took his hand and smiled up at him, pulling him to the door. He ignored Toga's snort of laughter and followed Kagome.

When they reached the porch, Kagome stopped and smiled at him again.

"You called your father," she said. He nodded in reply. "I'm glad. I was worried about you. I was kinda hoping he'd come help you. You're brave and strong, but it never hurts to have back up. Did you call Sesshomaru as well?"

"No, Dad called him. He thought Sessh had a right to kick the ass of the guy trying to kill his little brother." Inuyasha laughed. "I think 'big brother' is more worried about the family name than my well-being, but that's ok."

"I like your family."

"Thanks." Kagome shuffled her feet. He could tell she was a bit uncomfortable but wasn't sure what to do.

"Will you be coming by with Toga and Sesshomaru?" she asked, hope obvious in her voice. He looked up into her light brown eyes and nodded. "Good," she sighed. "I'll be happy to see you."

"Don't forget our date tomorrow night," he rasped, his voice a little harsher than he'd intended. Seeing her talking with his family had affected him more than he cared to admit. It had felt right and that scared him.

"I won't forget," she whispered, her voice lowering. Her smile turned wicked as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I'll pick you up at five, ok?"

"Sounds good." _Gods, I don't want to hurt her! Please, don't let me hurt her_, he thought. She smiled and turned away, hips swaying hypnotically as she crossed the porch.

He watched as Kagome walked down his front steps, smiling as she skimmed over the loose third step. _The loose third step._

"_Watch that third step, it's loose…"_

"_It's just a picture of her on your front steps…"_

"_Take the steps…"_

"Holy fucking shit!" His eyes widened. "You clever little bitch!"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome was staring at him with a mixture of confusion and mild anger.

"Not you, Kagome, Kikyou." He laughed. "She hid whatever it was in the step! God fucking damn it, why didn't I see it earlier?"

"In the step?" Kagome was definitely confused, but Inuyasha couldn't keep the grin off his face. "Inuyasha, you're not making much sense. How did she hide it in the step? It's made of stone."

"In the step or under it, whatever. Regardless, she hid it _there_, right under my fucking nose. I dunno how she got it there, but that step's been loose for years now. I keep meaning to fix it but… That's what the clue was about." He laughed again and swooped down to gather Kagome up in his arms. "She sent you the picture but she knew I'd see it, somehow. She knew I'd eventually realize that she'd been sitting on the loose step in that picture!" He pulled back from Kagome for a moment and looked at her closely. "And you've missed it entirely. Every damn time you use those steps, you somehow have skipped that loose one." He shook his head and laughed. "That dream you had, where she was telling you to take the steps-"

"It was really her!" Kagome gasped. She looked about ready to burst into tears so Inuyasha pulled her closer. He'd never dealt well with women's tears.

"Could be. Could be you just knew; maybe you recognized her energy on the step or something. Might explain how you've avoided nearly killing yourself on it like everyone else. But to send the picture to you…" he trailed off. "Somehow, she knew we'd meet," he whispered. A single tear trailed down Kagome's cheek and he kissed it away.

"I think she knew, Yash." Kagome's voice was quiet and sad. Inuyasha panicked for a moment. _No, she's not sad she met me,_ he thought. His brow furrowed.

"Of course she did. She would never have sent you those things if she didn't know we'd meet someday-"

"No," Kagome interrupted. "Inuyasha, I think she knew she was going to be killed."

* * *

Kaugra's anguished cry brought Kanna's mind back to the present. Absently, she glanced at her twin. Kaugra would never learn; there was only one option when one dealt with Naraku. Obey. Kanna had learned this well. Kanna always obeyed.

There was something broken inside her and while she was quite aware of this, she could not bring herself to care. She knew she should be appalled, that what Naraku and his brother had done to the two of them was wrong. There was simply nothing to be done. Kanna accepted her role mutely; she did what was asked of her and moved on to the next task.

She walked quietly to her master's side, ignoring the look of betrayal on her sister's face. Kaugra's hatred no longer bothered her. Nothing affected her emotions anymore. Only the thought that she might one day outlive her usefulness to her master inspired a flicker of fear.

"Master," she whispered as she reached him. His broad shoulders were well above her head. Standing side by side, they were a study in contrast; Kanna's pallid frailty a perfect counterpoint to Naraku's dark masculinity.

"Kanna, my pet! Is it time already?" The petite woman nodded. "Ah, then you need your sister, do you not?" Again, she nodded politely. "Too bad; we were just about to have some fun with her. But I'm the one who ordered the little lunch date so I suppose I'll just have to let her go. Clean her up, Kanna. Can't have her looking like she's being beaten when she goes to talk to our old friend now, can we?"

Though she kept her eyes lowered, she knew there was a smirk on his face. Naraku delighted in torturing Kaugra.

Once he had delighted in Kanna's own screams, had found ecstasy as she begged for his mercy; but when her emotions died, so had her screams. He no longer used her as he once had. Once, long ago, she had loved him. But that love had died and she was now tied to him with bonds far stronger and far more lasting.

* * *

Author's A/N:

Congrats to Sidelines and miss koneko on getting the trivia right! The line was: "I used to think these were good hands. Good, strong hands." And it came from the movie "The Never Ending Story." The Rockbiter says it to Atreyu just before the nothing swallows him up. A bit of bastardization of the line, but still in the same spirit. Shite, it was 3 AM and I was a bit loopy at the time. I'm just glad I didn't start channeling Dr Frankfurter… "In just seven days, I can make you a MAAAAAAAN!" And yes, I dress up when I go to Rocky Horror. Usually in a black corset and skirt with lots of glittering pretties.

I really love The Neverending Story but I haven't actually watched it in a while. It now has some strange memories associated with it. A good friend of mine is a bit on the odd side and decided at the age of 11 that he _IS_ Atreyu from that movie. Not that he'd _like_ to be or that he's somewhat like the character, but that he _IS_ that character, in some other dimension, I think. When I met him he was in his mid-twenties. He still goes by the name. He also claims to be magical and told me that _I_ have magical powers.

Now far be it from me to suggest to a friend that he does not have the power to read minds. But I don't think he can. Or he would have known that his ex-girlfriend was a bit more on the violent/psycho side before I moved in with her.

Important songs: _Chocolate_ and _Ways and Means_ by Snow Patrol. _Overcome_ and _The_ _Killer Inside_ by Better Than Ezra. _Fear _and_ Wait _by Sarah McLachlan_. Pale September _and_ Never is a Promise_ by Fiona Apple. _Hands Down _and _Screaming Infidelities _by Dashboard Confessional.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Memory could be a tricky thing, especially when one lived for thousands of years. Toga contemplated the two young women he'd met today as he sat with Sesshomaru in Rinoko's living room. Rin was everything he'd expected _her_ to be and nothing like the woman he'd envisioned his older son eventually taking as a mate. She carried herself with an ease that spoke of her joy and contentment. Confidence was not something she lacked; neither was intelligence. While it was true that he no longer personally knew all of Midoriko's line, that did not mean he didn't follow their lives. Rin was not unknown to Toga; her status as a child prodigy making her more than a little noteworthy. Had Katja not offered her daughter the Shinuta cosmetic company, he might have offered her a job himself.

Kagome on the other hand had been over looked, it seemed. Her powers had been hidden and downplayed for years; that much was obvious. Toga was still unsure of the reasons, but it was clear that she needed to be trained soon. Did Kagome physically resemble Midoriko? Perhaps, but his memory of her had faded over the centuries. Of course, with every generation born, the genes of Midoriko's clan had been further diluted. Both Rin and Kagome had an intriguing mix of Japanese and European features, a fact which had startled him at first. Still, he could recognize in them aspects of their ancestors and it reassured him to see familiar gestures and expressions. Most of the features were different, but he recognized Midoriko's eyes in Kagome's face; the color and shape were exactly the same.

Inuyasha looked much like Masaharu had, not much of a surprise as the two were brothers, though they had never met. Toga supposed the similarities between his sons had caused him to forget how the features of a human family could change over several generations.

Sesshomaru cleared his throat, bringing Toga out of his thoughts. The younger youkai glanced pointedly at the front window and Toga's gaze followed. Out on the walk, Inuyasha seemed to be engaged in a serious discussion with Kagome. Toga thought back to the heated conversation between the two he'd overheard earlier; he'd been disturbed by the changes in his son but relieved by the way Kagome had handled the strange behavior. Sesshomaru, it seemed, had also noticed the difference and been angered. Of course, he'd also seemed quite annoyed and a bit embarrassed by their affectionate display as well.

Toga nearly smiled at the thought. He had mixed feelings, of course; the well-being of his sons was important and that included their love lives. Inuyasha had been so damaged by Kikyou's death; it was heartening to see him falling for Kagome. Knowing details, however, was not exactly something he was all that keen on. He was quite glad Sesshomaru and his mate would be staying on the other side of the county; there was little chance he'd get a full night's sleep sharing a house with a newly mated pair.

Suddenly he noticed Kagome was alone on the walk, a very concerned look on her face. Sesshomaru had also noticed and the two jumped up as one and headed for the front door. When they reached the porch, Kagome called out to him.

"Mr. Tai!" Inuyasha seemed to be intent on ripping the steps apart. One stone in particular bore the marks of his claws.

"Yash, what exactly are you trying to do?" Toga asked. Inuyasha looked up, his eyes clear but angry.

"She hid something here," was all he replied. Sesshomaru huffed in disgust and jumped down to stand beside the younger man. Inuyasha shot him a dirty look and went back to trying to remove the stone from the step. Toga landed beside Kagome and looked at her in askance.

"The clue we found today turned out to be a reference to this step," she said softly. "Apparently, Kikyou somehow hid something under that stone. I told Inuyasha to ask you and Sesshomaru for help, but he said he could manage on his own." She frowned. "I know he's strong and that generally he wouldn't need your help with something as small as a stone from a step but…"

"It seems to be a stubborn stone." Kagome nodded. "I see." Toga stepped closer to Inuyasha. "Want to try together, Yash?"

"Yeah, take a look first, will you? It's loose, Dad; I've nearly killed myself on it twice now. Why is it so hard to pull up if it's loose?" Toga peered at it more closely, changing his sight just slightly. The stone itself seemed to shimmer and pulse for a moment, then return.

"It's enchanted. We might need some help with this, especially if Kagome isn't allowed to use her powers for a while." Toga frowned. "How is Kaede holding up, Kagome? I'm aware that you're her caretaker; would she be up to a visit to Rinoko to take a look at this?"

Kagome nodded. "Most of her restrictions are dietary, now. You know; less sodium, fat, caffeine and sugar? She's been told to avoid places where she could easily trip so she stays out of the forest around Musashi, but otherwise goes where she wants." Kagome shrugged. "I doubt she'd have problems here and I'm sure she'd love to help Inuyasha. When Rin gets out here, I'll go over and get her." Toga nodded.

"That changes our plans a bit, doesn't it?" Sesshomaru interjected. "Father and I will stay here with Inuyasha while you and Rin collect Kaede. Perhaps our combined strength can force the step. How long do you think you will be?"

"It depends on who's there at the time. Sango stops by to check on her most days around this time and there are a few other people who visit on a daily or weekly basis." Kagome smirked and shook her head. "Not to mention she still has a few suitors. Her love life is more exciting than mine." Inuyasha glared over at Kagome for a moment but she just grinned at him. Toga could swear he heard a muttered, "We'll just see about that, little girl," from Inuyasha, but ignored it.

Inside the house, Rin was approaching the front hall, cell phone glued to her ear as she chattered at her staff back in California. "Chloe, I'm on vacation. Yes, I'm quite aware. Marta said they would be arriving on Friday." She paused for a moment as she opened the front door, sighing explosively and rolling her eyes. "No, Jean-Luc should be able to manage just fine. No, Marta does not need to supervise! Well, tell him to get his act together! I'm not being un-sympathetic; I think it's quite a pity his boyfriend left him. But he's still my liaison for the foreign press and he _still_ has to talk to Takai. I'm not going to let him wimp out and ruin the launch just because his old lover is going to be at the meeting. He'll be professional with him or I'll walk him out myself." Toga saw her eyes drift to Sesshomaru briefly before they grew unfocused again as her attention drifted back to her business conversation. "Yes, I'm here with Sesshomaru. What does that have to do with- Excuse me? Did you just imply- Chloe!" The girl's face turned bright red. "Yeah. So? We had three months to get to- Chloe, he and his dad are standing a few feet away and they both have exceptional hearing; you don't want to finish that thought. Yes, he has a brother. No, he's not single. Chloe, I've got to go; my cousin is waiting for me and my mate is glaring at me. OK. I'll talk to you later. Bye." She closed the phone and looked at the four gathered at the base of the steps. "So, what are we staring at?"

"The step," Inuyasha snapped.

Rin frowned and looked at the step, her eyes catching on the damaged stone. "If it's offended you, by all means, kill it. But I'm curious as to what it did?"

Inuyasha glared at her but Kagome quickly intervened. "The step is what the clue Kikyou left us was all about. But Inuyasha can't move it."

"I should be able to; I put the damn thing in."

"You can't move it because she did something to it, Yash." Toga could hear the tension in Kagome's voice; it was obvious she was frustrated and wanted to just get things moving along. "And I can't use my powers right now so we're going to get Kaede and bring her back here so she can do something about it, ok? I just wish Kikyou hadn't been so tricky about this whole thing!"

"Maybe she wasn't." Toga turned to his elder son in surprise. Sesshomaru looked at the group disinterestedly but Toga could see the gears turning in his head. "She sent you easy to decode letters and e-mails; perhaps this also has an easy solution."

"Oi, like what? She touches the damn thing and it dissolves?" Inuyasha shook his head. "If it had been that easy why didn't…" Suddenly his eyes went wide and he turned to Kagome. "You've never touched the step."

"Of course, I have," she laughed. "I've walked up and down these steps at least ten times now."

"But you've never stepped on that loose stone." Inuyasha's voice was thoughtful and low. "I've watched you to make sure you didn't stumble on it. Somehow you always miss it."

"That's ridiculous. Nothing's going to happen if I touch that step."

"Try it," Inuyasha insisted.

"It only makes sense," Sesshomaru interjected again. "How could she be sure what your level of training would be three years later? If she was as intelligent and cunning as you both claim she was; she would know that the simplest methods are often the most effective."

Kagome looked at him doubtfully then looked at the gouged rock. Toga came up beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Try it. If nothing happens, it's not a big deal; we'll just go get Kaede as we've already planned. It can't hurt to try." She turned light brown eyes up at him and he was again reminded of his long dead daughter-in-law. When she smiled at him and nodded, it was all he could do to smile back as he remembered the last time he'd seen Midoriko hale and whole, nodding regally to him from horseback with his granddaughter snuggled securely in her lap. He mentally shook himself free of the image as Kagome stepped forward and stood next to Inuyasha.

"You really think-" she began.

"Yes," Inuyasha interrupted. "Please try, Kagome."

"OK, but I'm not promising anything." She stretched her right arm forward and leaned down to touch the step. At first, it seemed to want to repel her; pushing her to the left or right as if she and it were oppositely charged magnets. She held her ground, though and moments later the stone evaporated in a shimmer of silver particles.

All Toga could do for a moment was blink; even Sesshomaru had a slightly dazed look in his face.

"I guess we don't need to get Kaede after all," Rin said with a smile.

A/N- I know this isn't long and I know ya'll have waited.. like 18 months for it but... I've had a hard time with inspiration lately. This moves the story forward somewhat and I've re-written this a number of times. I feel like it's moving too slowly but I'm not sure what to do about it. If anyone has a suggestion, please review or send me a message. "Cause right now I'm still kinda stuck. I know what I WANT to happen, but it's jsut not working out that way...

I hope you Like waht little I've written here. Please read and review.

-Shaid


	17. Author's Announcement

This is not a real update. I'm so sorry.

Lately, the Inuyasha fandom has felt rather… foreign to me. The feeling has upset me and I haven't been able to find any inspiration to work on any of my stories in the fandom. But I'm not able to completely give up on _this_ story.

So lately, I've been working on turning "The Killer Inside" into an original work of fiction. I love the story, I love where it came from and I love where it's going. "The Killer Inside" will not really die. _Ever_. I promise. But it will change forms drastically.

I hate being "That Author", the one who leaves my story completely unfinished and abandons everything without a word. I feel like the worst kind of hypocrite, though I've often left reviews for other authors who have abandoned their works sympathizing with them. I don't really want to blame it all on the fandom, either. A lot of it has to do with me. I've been working on this story for over five years and honestly, I'm not the same girl I was in 2004. A lot has changed for me. I also have two other original works that are pulling on me, neither one has ever been a fanfiction.

The decision was a struggle, but one that ultimately made me feel much lighter and very inspired. A lot of the reason I decided to change directions was a separate decision I made in August. I turned thirty this past summer and I promised myself that I would be a published author by 2014, when I turn thirty-five. This is something I'm taking very seriously and I'm trying very hard to make it reality. There is a lot of work ahead of me, work that I'm kind of nervous about. How do I find a publisher? Should I start trying with my children's stories first? Can I really finish this? Am I going to be able to do this?!?! I'm scared as hell and excited and probably completely crazy to want to do this but ultimately… I'm ready for this.

I hope you can wish me luck (I'm going to need it) and I'm thankful for every last review I got, from all of you. Even the stupid flamers. It meant so much. It _still _means so much to me; somewhere out there, I have fans. If that's not an ego boost, I don't know what is! Thank you, all of you. Thank you so much for all your love and support and enjoyment over the years. I wish all of you contentment, peace and good will.

Merci beaucoup, mes amies. J'adore. Adieu!

-Shaid


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